Issue 27 - Oct 2013

THE Airsoft Magazine

AIRSOFT ACTION

IN 5 W G PM ER & G A

EVENT REPORTS:

V TH O R O W

£300

MISSION

X

TAG AIRSOFT: HELI INSERTION GUNMAN: BLACK GOLD II SPAIN: IRON MAN IV

COUNTERTERRORISM TRAINING

ON TEST: Behind the scenes at the top Kent retailer

WAR AND PEACE REVIVAL ❱ ORGANISING AN EVENT ❱ DEBATE: REGEN rules ❱ EYE PRO TIPS AA_001_Cover_Rev3_MH.indd 1

OCTOBER 2013 - £4.35

RAW, Free Fire Zone, and Skirmish Billericay

INSIDE AIRSOFT: PLATOON STORES

9 772047 348025

OCTOBER 2013

The experiences of a first-time airsoft sniper

UK AIRSOFT SITE ROUND-UP

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GOING SOLO: PART II

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CONTENTS AIRSOFT ACTION – OCTOBER 2013

6 8 12 Editor: Nigel Streeter Assistant editor: Mike Hine Graphic design: Steve Dawson Art director: Chris Sweeney Ad design: Anna Makwana, Matt Smith, Katherine McArdle Advertising: Hannah Benson 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 Blaze Publishing, Lawrence House, Morrell Street Leamington Spa,Warwickshire, CV32 5SZ Tel: 01926 339808 Fax: 01926 470400 E: info@blazepublishing.co.uk W: www.blazepublishing.co.uk © Blaze Publishing Limited, 2013 Distribution: Distributed to the newstrade by Comag Magazine Marketing, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE T: 01895 433 800 Copyright © Blaze Publishing Limited 2013. 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.

Find us on…

Letter, idea or question?

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

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AIRSOFT NEWS A round up of the biggest airsoft headlines

READERS’ GALLERY Your snapshots from airsoft games up and down the land

RIFLE: G&G GR14 Scott Allan tests out this short-barrelled M4

FEATURE: INTRO TO SNIPING An insight into lone wolfing

READERS WRITE Our pick of your letters

SITE: FREE FIRE ZONE We get the lowdown on a woodland site in Lincolnshire

EVENT: BLACK GOLD Gunman Airsoft’s latest Cold War event on review

EVENT: TAG AIRSOFT The editor reports from an epic game… with helicopters

FEATURE: WWII HISTORY Paddy Devlin’s tale continued

COLD WAR WARRIOR 1950s French Foreign Legion

KIT BAG: GUNS AND GEAR Awesome kit in our sights

SKILLS ROOM: BILLY BASICS Billy explores how to put on a cracking airsoft event

EVENT: IRON MAN IV The MilSim epic in Spain – with the full support of the local council! Game on

EXTREME MILSIM: MISSION X Professional counterterrorism training in the Middle East

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SUBSCRIBE Get AA every four weeks

BOOK SHOP Reader deals on top books

DEBATE: REGEN RULES Regen and medic rules cause a stir in this debate

FEATURE: EYE SAFETY An optician’s advice on prescription eye pro

RIFLE: G&G TR4 CQB-R What can Gen 3 G&G offer you, the airsofter? Read on…

FEATURE: A SHOT IN THE DARK Actions and consequences

KIT BAG: BLANK-FIRING GRENADES Cool kit from S.W.A.T

COMPETITION Win a G&G PM5

EVENT: SKIRMISH CUP We report from the annual airsoft tournament

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INSIDE AIRSOFT: PLATOON STORES

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EVENT: WAR AND PEACE REVIVAL

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Les Lee mooches around Rochester’s finest

Snapshots and memories from this renowned military expo

BOOK REVIEW: SABRE SIX A new military page-turner

SITE: RAW We review the aptly named Run Around The Woods site

SITE DIRECTORY Your guide to where to play

WILL FOWLER

A veteran of the First Gulf War, Will graduated from the French Army Ecole Militaire, Paris in 1993. He is now a writer and military historian

MICHAEL JONES

Michael has been playing airsoft for seven years now. He’s not afraid to lead the charge, but you’ll usually find him standing around with his arms in the air

JAMES BADURA

James started playing airsoft eight years ago. He is the owner of Badgertac 2, which makes him the youngest airsoft retail store owner in the UK

IOAN ‘IGGY’ ROBERTS

Iggy spent eight years in the Royal Navy as a photographer, and still travels to various front lines. He’s been an airsofter for 15 years and loves the sport

BILLY BASICS

Billy spent 25 years in uniform, and has served in all the usual salubrious ‘hoiday destinations’ around the world.

He has always been a writer and doodler by habit

LES LEE

Les has over 25 years shooting experience – but now his focus is airsoft. Safety and common sense are his strengths – and he just loves his handguns

GARETH ‘GADGE’ HARVEY

Gadge is our resident history buff and FilmSim fanatic. He has a passion for WWII, Nam-soft and Cold War gaming – but still finds time to fit in an open-day skirmish

KRIS ROBERTS

Formerly a member of the TA, Kris has over a decade’s worth of airsoft experience. Not one to be swayed

by Gucci kit, his philosophy is ‘keep it simple, safe and fun’

SCOTT ALLAN

Scott has worked in airsoft retail for many years – and played airsoft long before that. He likes big, heavy guns, loud explosions and MilSim games in particular

DAN MILLS

A former army warrant officer, Dan served in the forces for 24 years, seeing service on operations in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq

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few days ago I met some friends I had not seen for quite a while and, as is so often the case on occasions like these, time is spent chatting about what everyone is doing now.

“Me? I’m the editor of a magazine called Airsoft Action,” I said – and watched as a Mexican wave of puzzled frowns travelled around the group, to be followed by the inevitable question: “What’s airsoft?”

The temptation is always to answer: “You know paintball? Well, it’s like that…. only better” – which I think is understandable but does our sport no justice whatsoever.

Sure there is a similarity, in that (in certain scenarios) teams compete to eliminate each other by shooting opposing players with a projectile fired from an imitation gun and that, so far as I can see, is about where the similarity ends.

So just how do you describe airsoft?

If you check out Wikipedia it rambles on about “the use of common military tactics”, “combat situations” and “police organisations” – all of which may be true but doesn’t actually describe the game we play. By the way Wikipedia, we don’t use ‘replica firearms’, we use realistic imitation firearms – a subtle difference.

I think the issue is that airsoft is so diverse that simply shoe-horning it into a single description is not possible. I happen to enjoy CQB and night games, while others like nothing more than stalking through dense woodland. Some of my best friends are heavily into MilSim and yet others wouldn’t be seen dead in MCP, preferring instead Post-Apocalyptic Zombie shoot-fests.

So, as I asked earlier, just how do you describe airsoft?

Tell you what: email your description of airsoft to me at nigels@blazepublishing. co.uk. There’s no prize, but I’ll publish what I consider to be the best answer in the next issue of Airsoft Action (so you’ll need to get your email to me by September 9).

Though I have a feeling that I may end up publishing more than one…

Keep safe and see you out there.

Nige

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AIRSOFT NEWS MAGPUL’S PTS DIVISION CEASES PRODUCTION Some weeks ago Airsoft Action learned that Magpul’s PTS (Professional Training and Simulation) Division was to cease production of airsoft products with immediate effect.

However, despite numerous attempts to confirm this, we were unable to obtain an official comment from Magpul.

More recently we received a copy of an email that had apparently been sent to all Magpul dealers, which stated: “PTS will be halting production of all Magpul-related airsoft components immediately. This action was determined in conjunction with Magpul USA to stem the proliferation of counterfeit Magpul USA and Magpul PTS components. These counterfeit parts are being offered not only in the airsoft market but, of much greater concern, in the real firearms market and they are showing up in the military supply pipeline. This action was taken to close off the US borders to all Magpul related imports to ease the identification of Magpul counterfeits. Magpul USA is working closely with the State Department, Dept. of Homeland Security, US Customs, and other US federal law enforcement agencies on this issue. PTS Magpul products may return in the future but no timeline has been given.”

Airsoft Action contacted Edgar Brothers (the official UK Magpul distributor) for comment, and Lisa Riley, Edgar Brothers Sales and Marketing Manager, explained:

Magpul PTS guns, like this Masada, could become a thing of the past

“Since we took our first delivery back in 2010, Magpul PTS has become an incredibly strong product line. This is sad news not just for Edgar’s and the retailers who enjoy the benefit of such strong sales for this well-loved brand, but for its avid airsoft followers, who love the quality and authenticity. Unfortunately, this situation is out of our control, so we have to live with it – for now.”

Edgar Brothers still have selected PTS stock, but don’t forget, certain Magpul real steel accessories (not requiring DSP-83) are still available via your local airsoft retailer.

So, as it stands, no more Magpul PTS airsoft products for the foreseeable future, with the blame being laid squarely on counterfeit products infiltrating the real steel market and military supply lines.

Interestingly, at the time of writing the Magpul PTS website is still up, though it would appear from the items we checked, everything is marked ‘Out of Stock!’

NEW TM SHOTGUN Tokyo Marui has launched a new pump-action shotgun in the form of an M870 with an innovative cartridge-based system that allows for firing of either three or six BBs at a time.

It features three barrels (each with a fixed hop-up) and a 30shot cartridge, so you can fire a maximum of either five rounds of six BBs, or 10 rounds of three BBs. Switching between the two fire modes is simply a case of pulling back the pump and moving a selector.

The gun is supplied with one shotgun cartridge but we understand that any tri-shot cartridge from other systems should work equally well.

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The receiver, barrel, mag tube and trigger guard are all alloy, while the foregrip and stock, which has a rubber butt plate, are synthetic. The stock also contains the high-capacity gas tank, which is available separately.

Out of the box, the TM M870 runs at approximately 310fps on .20 BBs and green gas.

The TM M870 is priced at £325 from RedWolf Airsoft. Visit uk.redwolfairsoft.com

AIRSOFT | NEWS

NEED FOR SPEED Via a rather hilarious video uploaded to YouTube by Black Ops Airsoft, we came to find out about the BB Shield from SPEED Airsoft. The thinking behind the BB Shield is that, as so many airsoft optics are damaged in game with fragile glass cracked by flying BBs and so forth, help is needed. So rather than forking out for a new scope every so often, you can save yourself a lot of hassle by picking up the SPEED BB Shield.

The shield is 6mm thick, able to withstand high power BB hits, even from snipers, and attaches to your rail just forward of your optic, while a helmet mounted version is also available if you’re using a Contour mini-camcorder for recording in-game footage.

The SPEED BB Shield retails from around £18, with the helmet-mounting kit around £29.99. For more information, visit www.speedairsoft.com

The SPEED BB Shield is a must for protecting optics

TUBULAR SHELLS ICS has launched the M4A1 Tubular series AEGs. There will be two versions of this sleek new rifle available – the longer IC-S220 and the short ICS-221. The rifles feature a free-floating tubular handguard made with CNC milling, an adjustable rail, and tactical open sights.

For more information, visit www.icsbb.com

NEWS Another month, another column – and what a month it’s been. We managed a lot of airsoft in the sun for a change, including the recent Fireball weekender, Operation Blueshrew, and saw a great deal of faces old and new.

There was some great gamesmanship on display throughout the weekend and some very bizarre Tron dancing on the Saturday night. Next year promises a ‘Tronathon’. I am truly scared.

It’s always good to see so many airsofters come together, and to see so many UKAPU patches on people’s kit while walking around, cradling my new Maruzen M870.

What did strike me was that, for every person who had heard of UKAPU, there were at least two that hadn’t – and that made me think about how to increase the membership and the appeal of UKAPU to more people. The committee has had some good ideas on this and I will hopefully be able to give you more information in next month’s column. Basically, we are here for UK players, so make the most of us; use us. UKAPU needs you, and we believe we can offer you what you want while acting as a coherent voice for all of our members as and when required.

While at Fireball, I also saw the Airsoft TV guys again in between them playing and shooting some great footage, and we did another piece for their channel. James has told me that they have some exciting plans for the future too, and I’m delighted to have the association with them to help spread the word about airsoft and UKAPU to more people.

Remember, we have a great resource in our website and forums and if you haven’t joined yet, you can do that too. Go to www.ukapu.org.uk and check it out.

Phil Bucknall UKAPU Chairman chair@ukapu.org.uk

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Airsoft Action readers send in their personal snapshots from skirmishes across the UK and further afield‌

a forces from the undead man ew A member of N in by Bill t game, sent of rs Ai er ti Fron

Woodrow Bridget t laying down su pport for his team with his AK

Sean Dooley, marketing manager at Cerberus Airsoft, sent in these snaps of the Greenzone

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James and Ross at Dropzone Air soft

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Call signs ‘Dusty’ an d ‘Rhino’ during Op from team Market G ‘Slippery arden II a Ninjas’ t Skirmish Airsoft in Norwich

Mark Lane on patrol at EAG Worthing, West Sussex

picture of Reader Kris Jones sent in this modified his Kriss Vector, which he has job t pain om cust with his own

soft, taken inster Air rm a W t a p Rob Bisho rinkwater

by John D These s naps of the GOM Team w L Airsof ere sen t t in by Dwight Schultz

Fancy seeing yourself in Airsoft Action? Send in your photos via email (michaelh@blazepublishing.co.uk) or share on our Facebook page (/AirsoftAction), plus a few words describing what’s going on in the image.

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THE LAST AMERICAN

BATTLE RIFLE The M14 is an old school heavy hitter that crosses over many generations and loadout eras – Scott Allan takes a look at G&G’s version

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&G is famed for its excellent service and the GR14 – the G&G ‘don’t sue us’ name for an M14 – comes in a few flavours. At the time of printing, G&G is running an upgrade programme on their whole range. Their standard 2013 rifles are all changing to their Generation 2 or 3 rifles, which essentially results in a higher value product, pre-fitted with better parts at almost no extra cost to the end user. The very first version of the G&G M14, which was released around eight years ago, was a poor design. Since then massive changes have been made by G&G and now you will rarely hear a bad word

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said about the quality it produces. While no manufacturer can ever claim to be perfect, G&G is certainly great at backing up its products – which is more than can be said for some airsoft manufacturers.

Real Steel The M14 was originally mass-produced by the Springfield Armoury from, funnily enough, Springfield, Massachusetts, famous for producing the 45ACP 1911 pistols. The M14 fires the 7.62mm NATO ammunition, which is part of the reason the rifle moved out of favour during the Vietnam War. The rifle saw service from 1959 until 1970 as a primary issued

weapon before slowly being switched out for the (then) very modern M16. The M16 was seen as a toy or plastic gun by the troops, worried about the lack of punch from the 5.56mm round and generally unhappy with the reliability of the rifle. Many troops held on to the M14 as long as they could, but eventually they were all swapped out for the M16.

That said, many M14s were kept and used in training, for ceremonial uses or as a marksman rifle, which is still true today. The M21 and the newer M25 are effectively the Designated Marksman types for this rifle. Then, further life was breathed into the design with Sage Arms

THE ARMOURY | G&G GR14 THE LINE-UP The G&G GR14 comes in a several versions to suit different players’ needs.

These are: SOC 16: Short 16” barrel, black polymer stock

GR14 BLACK: Long 22” barrel, black polymer stock

producing a new modern chassis, the MK14 Enhanced Battle Rifle or EBR, as we know it. Now, G&G also produces the EBR under the name HBA – but I’ll save that for another time

The Replica The black polymer versions are my favourite, as much as I love the classic look and feel. The SOC 16 version sports a 20mm rail on the heat shield for fixing a red dot – though it is worth noting that this rail is too far forward to have magnified optics. The wood versions are very nicely finished, although if you are bothered about marking you may wish to consider another type.

The Imitation Wooden Stock version is a nice compromise between style and durability, and works out cheaper than the real wood version. The heat shield on all the wooden versions is a brown faux bakelite which looks authentic but rather cheap – or just like bakelite, you might say.

All versions can take a large battery, which means you have days of gaming in there. It is worth noting that some NiMH batteries can mean you need to remove

the butt plate with a screwdriver. It isn’t a big job, just a niggle. The magazines come in two flavours: 80-round standard magazine and 470 round high-capacity magazine. Each rifle has a locking bolt, which sounds realistic and allows quick and easy hop adjustment.

The performance of these rifles is not to be sniffed at. While all have a fire selector for semi- or fully-automatic, it is almost a shame to spray and pray.

You will undoubtedly find yourself using single shot quite happily. Each rifle comes with a high capacity magazine, which should suit newer players nicely.

With the power on most (except the Veteran version) sitting between 330350fps they are ideal for any gaming environments. “So you can use one of these for CQB?” I hear you cry! Yes, you can – and I have, at Catterick Garrison events run by Stirling Airsoft. It’s not easy, but it can be done.

The Veteran version comes with more upgrades, one of which is a larger spring, and they push around 420-430fps. It’s worth checking your site’s guidelines on electric sniper rifles. Some don’t allow them over the standard limits, whereas

GR14 IWS: Long 22” barrel, imitation wood stock

GR14 WWS: Long 22” barrel, real walnut wood stock

GR14 VETERAN: Long 22” barrel, real walnut wood stock, upgraded internal parts and higher power

others treat them as bolt action rifles.

The only things to really consider with these rifles is your size v the GR14. They are long at 1,120mm (that’s around 120mm longer than a M16) and pretty heavy, weighing in around 4kg. All this can make it tricky for crawling around the undergrowth, if that is your kind of thing.

On paper the rifles look good, albeit long and weighty, but what are they like to use? Well, the Tokyo Marui M14 is still

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THE ARMOURY | G&G GR14

regarded as the best, and it may well be.

I owned one for many years and really liked it. I wouldn’t say it was better, but it is certainly more expensive by around £50. So if you were to ask if the Tokyo Marui version was £50 better, I would probably say no. The GR14 has more power, stronger internals, more options with finish, and it is cheaper. The Tokyo Marui version gives around 300fps, which is, by today’s standards, pretty low.

The Role of the DMR A designated marksman is, in essence, somewhere between a rifleman and a sniper/sharpshooter. Unfortunately there is not an ‘in-between’ class in airsoft, so you are generally either sub sniper fps and using your field craft to get those better single shots, or you are running it as a higher powered electric sniper.

One of the things that saddens me is the ‘sniper’ players who don’t make any effort to set up or move unseen into a position. Most players want a sniper rifle purely to sit out of range and pick people off – they don’t care if the opposition knows they’re there or not. I have seen more well set up standard AEGs than I have well set up sniper rifles, and that’s partly why I like the GR14. It allows that

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accurate single shot without having an outrageous amount of power. It is the balance between AEG and sniper rifle.

Keeping the power lower often means you have no minimum engagement distance so you can keep picking targets until they are right on top of you.

The GR14 is good and bad in the field – the bad largely due to the weight and length of it. Also the magazines can be a little fiddly to fit, especially if you are a toe-thumbed, adrenaline-pumped average airsofter like me. But with a bit of practice you’ll soon be throwing them in there like a badass. If your site has lots of undergrowth, crawling can be tricky with this rifle. The bayonet lug and front site can get caught up in branches, making your efforts an uphill affair. That aside, they are very accurate – well above average in my opinion. They have a quiet gearbox, and you can easily set up a little nest somewhere out of sight and quietly pick your targets without drawing attention.

G&G produces a nice leather sling in either black or brown, which finishes the look off nicely. You can also buy the G&G scope mount, which sits above the ejection port and allows all types of scopes to be fitted. If you are looking for

the high-powered route this is almost certainly going to be a must on your purchase list.

Conclusion The GR14 range is a sure winner in my books. The G&G internals are generally very solid, especially the Veteran version, which has upgraded parts fitted as standard for around £25 more. I would be torn between the SOC 16 and the GR16 Black, slowly creeping up to targets through the undergrowth and waiting for that sweet shot that claims victory!

INFORMATION & PRICES LENGTH: 1,120mm (SOC 16: 930mm) WEIGHT: 4kg MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 470-round high cap (G&G specific) POWER: 330-350fps (Veteran version: 420-430fps) GEARBOX: Version 7; 7/8mm bearings OPTIONAL EXTRAS: G&G scope mount; G&G leather sling PRICES: SOC 16, £215; GR14 Black, £215; GR14 Imitation Wood, £215; GR14 Walnut Stock, £295; GR14 Veteran, £325

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GOING SOLO: PART TWO

After exploring the basics, Kris Roberts relates his experiences as a first-time airsoft sniper

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n last month’s issue I talked about my intentions of having a go at airsoft sniping, and mentioned the differences I see between what I call an airsoft marksman and an airsoft stalker. But enough talk; it’s time for action. The plan was simple: spend the morning as a marksman, then switch to stalker for the afternoon.

I prepared my kit and did some internet research, and soon found myself at one of my local woodland sites. The day was

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swelteringly hot, but I was determined to give this new experience my best shot. So with rifle in hand and mischief in mind I set off on my first game.

It’s not easy changing habits that you have built up over the last decade, and I was on my third long and frustrating walk back to respawn before things clicked into place.

Stop running forward; stop searching for a fight; stop crashing through the undergrowth like a rhino on a caffeine high. It was a simple

instruction to myself: calm down.

Once I had managed to slip into the correct mindset, I found that my senses heightened and I began to move cautiously and with purpose. It wasn’t long before I sighted my first target.

I guessed the range to be approximately 50 metres, and I raised the rifle quickly into my shoulder. My first shot missed, and I didn’t see where the round went. Another shot, another miss, but this time I saw the

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FEATURE | INTRO TO SNIPING

“Within five minutes I wanted to rip off the ghillie suit and burn it. It snagged on everything and made moving in silence impossible. The headpiece kept slipping over my eyes and made visibility a real chore” BB in flight, and watched as it passed the target by mere inches. I was getting excited and had to slow myself down once more.

So taking a breath, I adjusted my aim and fired for a third time. The round slammed into my target with a reassuring whack, and the moment was made all the better when the player stood with his arm in the air and called out, ‘Good shot that man!’

Changing Ways Having achieved my first hit using a bolt-action rifle I was hooked. So without any further delay I set off in search of my next prey. In reviewing that moment, I know that the first two shots were misses because I rushed them. My third shot landed exactly where it was supposed to because I took the time to steady my nerves and control my actions. Once I’d learnt the method, the rest of the morning was a series

of first shot hits, and I even experienced the thrill of taking out a player with a single shot as he ran between cover.

Zero Hour This was made all the more possible because I had taken the time to zero the rifle and test a few different weights of BB. Before setting foot on the skirmish field I spent a full hour on the site’s target range, engaging man-sized targets at 30, 40 and 50 metres. It was slow progress, but well worth the effort.

First of all I tested different weights of ammunition, finding a balance of range, accuracy and strength of impact. The accepted theory is that the heavier the BB, the shorter the range. But this is counteracted by the fact that heavy rounds are less affected by crosswinds. It is also

often said that a heavier round carries more energy when impacting on the target, great against players wearing lots of kit and who may not feel the hit. This theory I found to be true in my tests, but I’m sure there are exceptions to the rule. What I would strongly advise is that you take the time to conduct these tests yourself. I always encourage players to find their own solution to their problems. We are after all a group of individuals, and in this case the advice stands: your rifle, your playing style, your choice.

Once I had run my tests I settled on a .36g round, and set about aligning the crosshairs of the scope. This again was no quick task, and required setting the hop-up on the rifle to my chosen range, then adjusting the dials of the scope to bring the aiming point in line with where my rounds were hitting the target.

Patience is the key, but soon you and your rifle will be in harmony with each other, and you’ll reap the rewards later on when in game.

Can’t See, Can’t Fight After spending the morning sweating under the intense sun, I grudgingly put on my ghillie suit to play the afternoon games as an airsoft stalker. I had ordered a pre-made suit, consisting of trousers and a jacket that you wear over the rest of your gear, finished with a headpiece and rifle wrap. I had neither the time nor the inclination to build my own suit.

After all, this was a test to see if sniping was for me, and I didn’t want to overspend until I was fully decided.

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FEATURE | INTRO TO SNIPING

Camouflage is fundamental in airsoft stalking, so taking the time to study the principles behind it is a must. Far too many players think that a ghillie suit will make you invisible, but this simply isn’t the case. There are other factors to consider. The subject of camouflage is enough to fill an article of its own, so I’ll only cover the three basics I believe you require in order to succeed.

Movement: Humans are natural predators, and as such our eyes are trained to detect movement. Move slowly, at a snail’s pace if you must, and be prepared to freeze should an opposing player walk into the area you’re in.

Shape: Try to break up the outline of your shape. Remember that the players hunting you down are instinctively searching for the shape of a human body, not to mention an airsofter’s uncanny ability to spot a gun from miles away. Gun wraps and ghillie suits are a great way to break up your outline, but don’t forget to add natural foliage to your kit to help create the effect that you are simply part of nature and not worth taking notice of.

Silhouette and shadow: Nothing will give you away quicker than highlighting yourself against your background. Stay lower than the objects around you, and try to envisage your position from your enemies’ point of view. Keep away from potential horizons and ridges, and avoid areas of light like the

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plague. Shadow is your best friend, and you should use the limitations of the human eye in changing light conditions to your advantage.

So with all this in mind, I set off looking like a deranged wookie to see what damage I could inflict on the opposing team.

Anger Management Within five minutes I wanted to rip off the ghillie suit and burn it. It snagged on everything and made moving in silence impossible. The headpiece kept slipping over my eyes and made visibility a real chore.

I was about to walk back to the safe zone to remove it when four opposing players appeared less than 30 metres away. I was already positioned down on one knee and I froze. They were within the minimum engagement distance so firing was not an option. Besides, what did I really hope to achieve against four guys carrying AEGs. They still hadn’t seen me, and I knew that if I went for my pistol they would see the movement and make worm’s meat of me.

So I remained still, kneeling in the shadow of a tall oak tree. Eventually they moved on, and this put me in a perfect position to ambush them from the rear. I managed to claim three of them before a well-placed grenade put an end to my shenanigans.

A New Dawn As the afternoon ended I was very pleased with the way the day had gone. I had achieved a lot more than I had expected, and had pulled off the kind of shots I had only ever dreamt of before. Without question I will play as a sniper again, and I can feel that my rifle and I are in the early stages of a beautiful relationship. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

So what lessons did I take from the overall experience? Firstly, preparation and study beforehand are valuable assets when you get in the field, so do your homework and you’re halfway to winning the battle. Secondly, the rifle is not everything. The gun is the tool, you are the weapon. Thirdly, adapt your kit to suit you and your needs. There is no point struggling and fighting against things that are supposed to be there to aid you. I have already planned how I am going to butcher my ghillie suit to better fit my body and free up my movement.

Finally, use the force. I know it sounds clichéd but it is the best way to describe this strange and calming feeling. You must show patience, and allow yourself to have the confidence and belief that you can, and will, hit your target. It is all about having the willpower. Find this, and you’ll find a level of airsofting you haven’t experienced before.

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READERS WRITE Send your letters to: Letters, Airsoft Action, Morrell Street, Leamington Spa, Warks., CV32 5SZ, or email michaelh@blazepublishing.co.uk

FORUM FURY

AIRSOFT FOR ALL

I want to have a good old-fashioned bitch about an airsoft forum run in association with a certain retailer. They have a blatant disregard for other people’s opinions – especially if they go against the party line.

It is censorship, no matter how you spin it.

The last straw was when I commented on a thread about this year’s NAE. I pointed out that, on the event I attended in 2008, the social aspect was amazing but the airsofting was found to be lacking – too much confusion and cheating. Food concessions were unvaried and expensive, and their ‘no other retailer on site’ rule meant there was a lack of products.

Another forum user commented that it had changed and I should try again, and this is where it all goes to shit.

Reading through the thread I noticed my original post had been amended to have all negative comments removed, so the conversation read along the lines of: “I haven’t been since 2008” “You should try again” I then suggested that the forum is run like the Nazi party, and I would never attend another NAE. If someone censors opinions then I do not want to spend my money with them. A week’s ban from the forum followed. After the ban I messaged the admin demanding an explanation, as I haven’t been shot at and bombed in order to protect his civil liberties for him to remove mine!

I am not overly concerned about the childish actions of the admin. What does piss me off, though, is the whole forum censorship issue.

Name withheld, via email

Your site reviews on UCZ’s Bunker and OTT Adventures last year reminded me what airsoft is all about: kicking back on a weekend, shooting your mates and having a laugh. Both these articles emphasised that good sites cater to new and inexperienced players, as well as the hardcore. I think in airsoft we have to be careful not to put off potential players by coming across too serious, elitist, or exclusive. I remember my first game, being quite nervous when I showed up, wondering if I’d be completely out of my depth. From what I’ve seen on a few forums, a lot of newcomers have these concerns, so to make sure airsoft keeps growing, we can’t lose sight of why we do this hobby.

Jim Harrison, Devon

The subject of forums in general can be a touchy subject, as different people view them in different ways. Maybe this would make a good subject for our regular Debate column in the next issue of AA? – Nige

I agree with you 100 per cent. I still remember my first game of airsoft and, although I’d had many years of playing another force-on-force sport at top level, this was a whole new ball game – not least of which because it was being run and marshaled by ex-22 soldiers!

I have been to sites where some players

MINORITY REPORT I read with interest Maree Davidson’s letter from last issue relating to her negative experiences as a female airsofter. I hear the debate over airsoft being female-friendly raised from time to time, and while I think it’s certainly worth talking about, what about all the other minority groups within airsoft?

While there’s no doubt some instances of sexism on the skirmish field, what about

turn up with more guns that an average airsoft shop keeps in stock and the look on a new player’s face seeing that display of weaponry says it all: “Oh crap! What am I doing here? I’m going to look and feel a complete prat! Where’s the exit?”

I have also been to sites where players are more than willing to let newcomers run with one of their guns and help them along with advice and encouragement.

On balance I think we are quite good at drawing new players into the sport but you are right, we do need to be careful and not get into the ‘it’s our game and you can’t play’ mentality because, when all said and done, we were all in the same position when we first played – Nige

homophobia? Also, it’s rare that I see someone from an ethnic minority playing airsoft – and I’m not entirely sure why that is. Perhaps it’s just because we are already a niche sport, and so there are very few nonwhite players out there (hence why I don’t recall seeing any at my local site), or maybe there’s something keeping them away. I’d be interested to hear what other readers think.

Via email

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IN THE ZONE Michael Jones heads to Lincolnshire to pay a visit to the Free Fire Zone woodland site

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fter the inferno weather of the previous two weeks, I was looking forward to a bit of drizzle as I drove along the picturesque route to Bulby Hall Wood in south Lincolnshire – and that’s exactly what I got! I was on my way to Free Fire Zone. On arrival I parked up and had chance to grab a coffee from the site burger van. I got a warm welcome from the site owner, John, who introduced me to the team. While the guys got set up, I took a tour of the 90-acre site.

After setting off a little aimlessly down a track I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled across a land mine. I continued on to a village built from sheds, looking a little like B&Q’s reject yard. At this point I was slightly worried as to the calibre of the site.

Still hopeful, I pressed on up a slight hill, and my confidence was instantly restored. Two large artillery guns, a weapons cache, a twotier lookout and forward posts perched atop a gulley looking down on the surrounding area. This is the best firebase I’ve ever seen.

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A few other highlights were the crossroads with a bridge and tunnel, and the mortar pits – trenches roughly six foot high with a fully working mortar.

By the time I’d re-joined the guys, most of the 85 pre-booked and additional walk-ons had given in their hard earned cash in hope of a great day’s airsoft. As they were milling around ready to get stuck in, the safety brief started promptly at 9.50am, and contained the site-specific rules. FFZ runs a policy whereby shouting ‘surrender’, ‘bang’, or giving some other type of mercy kill, is not allowed. Appropriate footwear is mandatory, and players without it will be turned away.

Their games also use ‘dead socks’, luminous strips of material issued so that dead players can easily identify themselves in the thick foliage. The final, and possibly most controversial of the site rules, is the full permission to blind fire – in other words, shooting without looking. Many readers may cringe at this suggestion, but it wasn’t an issue throughout the day. After the brief,

players got moved straight to chrono. Limits for the site are 345fps for autos and 500 for single-fire bolts on a 0.2g BB. The first game got underway, and my lust for the site waivered when ‘capture the flag’ was announced. Despite my initial concern, the short game had a twist and ran well, serving its purpose to allow players to get in the zone. It’s worth noting that FFZ likes to do things a little differently. Instead of returning to the safe zone after each game you stay out in the field – less chatting more game time. It makes sense.

The second game was much more up my street, with an attacking (blue) team tasked to collecting canisters, safely depositing them and securing a drop zone. Both teams came out swinging, but the (red) defence team got dug in early causing many a problem for the attackers. Admittedly, part of the problem may have been the enticing allure of the firebase mentioned earlier, and the attackers not wanting to leave its warm fuzzy awesomeness. Plenty

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of smokes went into the main conflict zone and charges were brave but a little outnumbered. The game seemed to stall halfway, but after some wandering it appeared the attackers had just changed their play from head-on cannon fodder to guerrilla tactics. Progression was made, but sadly it was a case of too little too late.

Game three provided another promising brief: secure the crossroads to stop enemy resupply routes, and then take out the motor pit. Much of the battle was in dense shrubbery until more of the defence was cleared out. Then small groups of the attackers started filtering out with sights set

on the crossroads. With only a few of the blues holding the line the red team made short work and completed the first part relatively easily. With a bounce in their step they marched up the hill almost tasting the victory. After the blues’ meagre effort at the crossroads they had decided to make up for it by fortifying the motor pit. The reds took heavy casualties but some brilliant flanking whittled down the defensive force.

Everyone was dug in and not wanting to give up the little ground they had. Calls for pyros and mad dashes weren’t cutting it. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted site owner John sneaking round

the trenches on high alert, expecting to be set upon at any moment as he crept round to the objective. Now, from where I was standing I could see that the coast was clear and there were no defenders anywhere near John, but he seemed to be enjoying himself so we left him to it. As he approached the unattended motor at the centre of the trenches he lit a frag, panting, and sent it on its way. Sadly, the marshal called game seconds before it went off – but in my books that’s a respectable win.

Time for lunch, and the never-ending queue for the burger van was a testament to the food’s quality. I got chatting to a few of the players. The first group were some young lads who’d never played before. They kindly pointed out the obvious – “it’s way better than paintball” – and seemed to be really enjoying themselves as they spoke about the kills they’d acheived so far. The second group was fully rigged, matching BDU veterans who had been playing, shall we say, a while. They’d tried other sites but this one, they said, worked best for them.

As lunch was coming to an end I found John and he kindly offered for me to play the next game, which was one long mission spanning the entire afternoon. In this game players would need to work together a lot more and the game pace could be slower or faster, if you so choose. With great regret I had to cut my visit short, even with the armtwisting from John to put a gun in my hand.

I really enjoyed my day at Free Fire Zone. I found the marshals, players and site much to my liking, offering a great day out for very little money. The site has had immense amounts of time, effort and thought put into it in order to bring a unique experience to the player. Although I had to leave early, the morning gave me a good taster. Next month I shall return… without a camera and high-vis vest. I suggest you do the same.

INFORMATION & PRICES Free Fire zone LOCATION: Bulby Hall Wood, six miles north of Bourne, Lincolnshire.

WEB: www.freefirezone.co.uk TEL: 01733 247171 EMAIL: games@freefirezone.co.uk PRICES: Walk-on £15; £35 with hire.

EXTRAS: Ball Grenades x 6 - £15; Mother-of-all-smoke grenades - £15

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Black gold part II Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey is down at the UCAP Sandpit site in Dartford for the latest game in Gunman Airsoft’s Cold War campaign

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s regular readers will know, in Gunman’s Cold War campaign it’s 1983, and the Cold War has got hot. Indeed, at UCAP Sandpit’s last weekender, Black Gold Part II: Two Faces, it was damn hot in every sense of the word.

You know you’re in for a hard time at a game when, on the way down, the car’s aircon can barely keep you cool, and queuing at a snail’s pace on the Dartford toll bridge has you in a sticky sweat. The thought of spending a weekend in ‘cutting edge for the 50s’ Soviet 1980s airborne kit didn’t exactly fill me with excitement at this point. But that’s my lot in life. It was my job on the weekend to command the Soviet Airborne Invasion Forces as they struggled to retake a Soviet oil refinery plant in Afghanistan. Veteran readers might remember our review of the first Black Gold

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event, where I played the shrewd (read cowardly) Colonel Vanya in our fictional 1983 timeline where the Russian occupation of Afghanistan has been met with overt NATO intervention in addition to the out-and-out rebellion from Mujahidin tribesmen.

This time I was no longer Vanya (he’s in a gulag somewhere for losing control of the plant to NATO) but ‘Major Bison’, tasked with taking back the complex before the Americans could destroy it and deny the Soviet Union its precious ‘black gold’ oil reserves.

Unlike many of Gunman’s FilmSim events (more like being in your fave war film than being in the army) this battle started on the Friday night with ‘goggles on and guns out’ at 9pm, night fighting till 3am, and a six-hour break to allow people to get some proper kip before starting day

two at 9am. So after the usual safety brief, my gallant heroes of the Soviet Union shouldered their packs and we trooped out across the hilly quarry site to find a safe harbour area to launch operations from.

If you’ve not played at UCAP’s Sandpit it’s probably worth stating here that it’s an awesome and immense site. Essentially a flooded quarry with a central lake and a rugged ring of rocky outcrops, ditches and hills surrounding it, just getting from one side to the other was exhausting in the August heat, let alone ‘fighting’ over it. Eventually we found a safe harbour, shielded from prying eyes by rocky berms and scrubby vegetation, and pitched camp.

Given that it was a blazing hot August day and we were ‘rock-hard Russian paras’ most of us opted to sleep under the stars in doss bags under canvas groundsheets.

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“We set up RPGs, grenade launchers, small arms and sniper rifles in deadly killing and cut-off groups” This turned out to be an epically bad move, but more of that later.

With bedrolls set up, sentries posted and a quick cuppa sorted out (no vodka on operations for us!) I set to briefing the section on our objectives – for the Friday night I’d have just seven troopers but by morning I would have ten or so re-enforcements – and in true communist style we took a vote on the best course of action. To a man we agreed that, as we had until 3am to recce the compound, steal vital documents, and disrupt supplies, there was no point going in until we had the cover of darkness. To really exploit the fact that the team were all highly motivated, we opted to leave it till around 2am before actually entering the complex. This was for a practical as well as a cunning reason. We had Soviet ‘GAZ’ jeeps, but they are far too noisy for a night recce so getting across the complex in darkness would take us some time. As a side bonus we (correctly) ascertained that the slack Yankee imperialist running dogs would probably all be in bed by then!

Setting off at 11pm we spent around two and a half hours silently infiltrating the

site. As we reached the crest of ‘cardiac hill’ and were beginning to feel the strain of manpacking assault kit over the mini mountain, our lead scout saw movement through his night vision and went to ground. Damn it – we’d run into armed Afghan locals. Deciding that a ‘parley’ was better than a shootout, I put my weapon in the air and walked slowly forwards to try to negotiate a safe passage. Our luck was in and the tribesmen told us the US had prevented them free access on their own land and were more than happy to guide us past US positions and into the outskirts of the complex.

So, in the company of our new allies, we made our way to the petrochemical plant. As they parted company and bid us good luck we had a sneaky feeling they were going to sell us out. Expecting an ambush, we went to ground for 30 minutes and observed the illuminated complex through night vision and sniper scopes, counting sentries and noting any patrol patterns. After 30 minutes with no sign that the US had any idea we were there we moved on… and nearly blew ourselves up! But, as luck would have it, the eagle-eyed recce trooper ‘Scorpion’ spotted the trip-wired demo charge seconds before we ran into it – and using his wire cutters negated the lethal trap.

Within the next 30 minutes we were safely inside the complex. As we avoided US sentries and searched each room we soon had nearly all the vital info in our possession - but we could not find the safe containing Colonel Vanya’s code books anywhere. We would later find out it was because the Afghans had stolen it, and have to recover it ourselves. Leaving the squad to continue searching I made my way back to the harbour area alone to safely stash the intel. No sooner had I made it that a few hundred metres away than all hell broke loose, a savage engagement that consisted mainly of grenades and mortar rounds crashed over the complex as the recce team were spotted by a US mortar post.

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I’m not sure if the gods were playing the same game as us, but at this point an almighty thunderstorm erupted with lightning flashes illuminating the site and a furious downpour soaking us to the skin. Back at the camp, I waited for my team to return safely before getting into an absolutely waterlogged bivouac position. After about two hours of fitful

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sleep, and shivering with the cold and wet, I was overjoyed that ‘first light’ was around 4.30am and stripped off to dry my kit on surrounding branches. As the warmth of the sun’s rays dried my kit and woke my comrades we plotted what to do on day two.

Firstly, we knew we had to take the complex before the US rangers could

destroy it, and that it was also vital to disrupt their ammo supply runs. It wouldn’t hurt to get the local Afghans on side either, as they had as much interest in keeping the black gold flowing as we did.

But first things first. We decided to bide our time on taking on the plant as we lacked the men to hold it for long. Our reenforcements showed up nice and early, but even so we were not sure we could match a combined US and Mujahidin force and decided to attempt a vehicle ambush first.

Selecting a choke point in the road on a corner at which any vehicle would have to slow down, we set up RPGs, grenade launchers, small arms and sniper rifles in deadly killing and cut-off groups. As the NATO Land Rover cruised round the corner we waited patiently until it was in the kill group’s arc. Wasting it with overwhelming fire, our joy at taking out the US convoy with ease was tempered by finding out we’d hit it on the way to pick up supplies, not fully laden on the

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way back! Still, the disruption worked to our advantage and we decided to go on the offensive.

For the next few hours, fully kitted out for war in body armour and helmets (giving us all an extra two hits each), we clambered aboard the GAZ jeep and aggressively launched attacks on any enemy we could find. However, by the time we hit the complex we realised the US had managed to convince all the locals to take up arms against us. Faced with three-to-one odds we decided upon a holding action on the high ground while we came up with a better plan. The plan was quite simple; dressing up three of our men as Afghans to allow us to bypass US patrols we went off in search of the rebel tribesmen to try to win them over. I’m not sure exactly how their conversation went, but they must have said the right thing, as within a short time we found that half of the local population had gone over to the Soviet side, and a successful attack on the complex could now take place. Here the

Afghans proved the operation’s name – ‘Two Faces’ – to be quite accurate!

With the aid of our new allies a vehicle assault was put in on the complex and possibly the hardest fight of the weekend began. In the end the body armour and helmets paid off, as they allowed us to sustain greater damage than our enemies and hang onto each building we captured.

The heavy firefights were punctuated by explosive bangs as the US managed to demolish parts of the plant but before long the complex was safely back in Soviet hands, albeit in a sorry state of repair.

With our mission accomplished we awaited the armoured relief column as the end-ex whistle was blown and, soaked in sweat, tired and exhausted, opposing players sunk to the ground or shook hands and congratulated each other on a weekend well fought.

Once again, Gunman Airsoft put on an epic Cold War event. While I’m a great fan of the Cold War series, this was a particularly ambitious affair from the

organisers. Not only did they make the brave decision to limit participants to ‘Soviet airborne’, ‘US Ranger’ or ‘Afghan’, thereby limiting the potential appeal, but it was also a ’real steel’ event, with most players only being allowed to carry 300 rounds in magazines, with a real life 30-round capacity. This led to some incredibly tense firefights as teammates threw each other spare magazines, or rooted through the ‘deads’ packs for more supplies!

With everyone agreeing that this was, indeed, a step in the right direction, we all made our way home after a post-game BBQ eagerly awaiting the next instalment of Black Gold.

INFORMATION Gunman Airsoft WEB: www.gunmanairsoft.com TEL: 07854 277264 EMAIL: enquiries@gunmanairsoft.co.uk

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EVENT REPORT SITE REVIEW | TAG HELI | THE INSERTION MANOR

TAG: heli insertion

There can be nothing more exciting than being choppered into a game – as Nige reports after his recent trip to TAG Airsoft for their heli-insertion mission

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he soldier tried to stay focused on the mission as the helo slewed across the sky in a sharp, banking turn. The noise levels rose as the blades chopped at the air in their fight to prevent gravity from slamming them into the forest less than 30 feet below. Looking down he could see the wreck of another bird, broken and burnt where it had cannoned through the trees, rotors and parts scattering along its path as it broke up before coming to rest.

Flying low towards their LZ he could see other teams had already pushed out a defensive perimeter and seemed

to be holding the attacking forces back, for now.

At about 10 feet, the chopper’s nose rose into the air to bleed off speed before the craft levelled again so that it could touch down.

“Go! Go! Go!” Helicopters on the ground are bullet magnets and he didn’t want be there one second longer than necessary. His boots hit the ground as he and the rest of his four-man squad exited the craft and took up an all-round defence. As the last man left the craft it was already getting the hell out of there, and dust, dirt and rocks hit his back and neck as it

hauled itself back into the air and away at low level.

Looking up he located his RV point and led his men off the open field and into cover at the edge of the forest.

A sit-rep quickly brought him up to speed…

The enemy forces were in front of them and were holed up in a number of key locations, including a local village and at the downed helicopter but, most worryingly of all, there were reports coming through that they had taken possession of a Rapier Missile battery and were preparing to use it.

The mission was simple… Clear the

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“As the last man left the craft it was already getting the hell out of there, and neck as it hauled itself back into the air and away at low level” area of enemy forces and either acquire or destroy the Rapier system. He called his team together to brief them on their next move.

“Shit! Where the hell is that coming from?”

Soldiers either side of him were being hit and going down as a heavycalibre machine gun opened up from behind them! Almost en-masse the entire section wheeled about and laced the trees with arcs of fire that nobody could survive. Sure enough a second or two later the machine gun ceased and a mortally wounded figure staggered out into the open, before collapsing in the dirt.

Their opposition were clearly not going to give up without a fight and had used their local knowledge to send one man on a suicide mission to take out as many of the ‘infidels’ as he could, before claiming his place in martyrdom.

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As the adrenalin dissipated and his heartbeat slowed, he shut his eyes for a second and thought back to how he came to be here….

The phone rang...

“Hello mate, it’s only me! How’d you fancy coming down to TAG to do their helicopter game? I did it last year and it was bloody awesome!”

How could he resist?

TAG Airsoft is based in Worcestershire, just outside the village of Stoulton and only a few minutes’ drive from the M5 motorway. Run by Dave Manning, TAG Airsoft is one of those companies that seems to be able to bring different types of airsofter together with a great deal of success.

What do I mean by that? Well, I know plenty of players for whom the thrill of the game is when all hell breaks loose and BBs are flying all over the place.

For others it’s the art of concealment

PYRO FUN One thing I think is worth a mention is that TAG were selling the new bio-degradable pyros from TLSFx. I saw these at IWA earlier this year, but this was the first time I’d seen them in play and it will be interesting to see how they progress.

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and undetected movement that punches their buttons, while an ever-growing number get their kicks from military simulation (in whatever form it takes; historic, modern or current). It is quite rare to find a site where a combination of these actually works well, but Dave and his crew over at TAG seem to have found the right formula to do just that – and their ‘Heli-Weekender’ is a perfect example.

The site is made up of two wooded areas, linked at a natural choke point and surrounded by working arable fields. At the time of this visit the wheat was still growing but I have been here when it is tall enough to use as a shield from prying eyes (although players are requested not to go stomping through the crops, as the farmer would be very

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unimpressed). While not overly large, the two areas are large enough to satisfy those that want to go all sneaky-beaky and yet of a size that means players do not have to walk for ages without seeing the opposition.

Both woodland areas have tracks running around their perimeter and it is here that TAG scores a big hit with players.

Dave Manning has a great collection of vehicles that designated drivers can use in-game, including a WMIK, a Pinzgauer and a Snatch Land Rover. This means both sides have the advantage of mobility, and if they get really bogged down can call upon a vehicle to help them get out of it – although this also means the use of IEDs comes into play.

TAG Airsoft games are also known for their attitude to both the game and those that play, which is both relaxed and extremely professional at the same time.

Players are treated like adults and are expected to behave like adults; the safety briefing is both thorough and precise; the base area is kept clean and tidy; the food is always cooked properly and is plentiful, and anyone who has a question, observation or feedback is listened to. On

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top of that, the marshals (both in-game and roaming) are highly-experienced players and, knowing ‘how it is’, are quite willing to make adaptions to the game as it progresses to ensure everyone gets the maximum out of it. And then there’s the helicopter…

Once a year TAG runs a ‘Heli Insertion’ game and, for a small additional fee, players get to be inserted into a mission by chopper – doors off, feet on skids, guns at the ready. If that doesn’t get your adrenalin flowing then you either have no fear – or no pulse!

I have to say that the pilots seem to enjoy these days just as much. Let’s face it, how often do they get to fill their craft with heavily armed soldiers and drop them into battle. I bet they too have ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ playing in their head as they swoop low over the trees and drop into a hot LZ! I am not going to get into a blow-byblow account of the actual games, as everyone who has ever played knows what happens… you win some, you lose some; you get shot and you shoot other players out. Sometimes you get medic-ed, sometimes you have to regen

but, ultimately, what you want to do is to go home feeling like you’ve had a damn good time. From what I saw and heard at TAG over the entire weekend, there wasn’t a single player who didn’t come away thinking anything different (even the three guys who came out of regen, walked bang into the middle of a firefight and got hit from both sides at once – ouch!).

We don’t award stars or points at Airsoft Action, as I believe they are far too subjective, but I can honestly say that I think TAG Airsoft is well worth a visit.

INFORMATION & PRICES TAG Airsoft LOCATION: TAG Wood, Breach Farm, Egdon Lane, Stoulton, Worcs., WR7 4QW WEB: www.tagairsoft.co.uk EMAIL: sales@tagairsoft.co.uk TEL: 07764 587410 GAME FEE: £20 per day (walk on), includes lunch and tea/coffee all day.

HELI INSERTION: £45 additional per player RENTALS: Available – contact TAG for more details.

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PATRICK’S WAR When we last left Paddy Devlin he was sat in the final Horsa Glider to take off for the Normandy air landing operation. Dan Mills tells us what happened next

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evlin, with his Enfield 303 cradled in his arms and his face blackened, climbed aboard and picked a seat portside by a window. This way he could keep his eye on the exit door. During take-off, however, the towering aircraft belly dived and released the towrope; 18 Platoon came to a standstill on the runway before being towed away by a tractor!

It was thus that Patrick Devlin came to be in the very last Horsa Clider to take off for the air landing operation…

Errors were made. At dawn the following day Two Section’s position faced the wrong direction; they could not even see the village let alone provide covering fire. This was quite a common sighting mistake during the war: lazily marked out in the dark by tired troops, and poorly supervised by non commissioned officers (NCOs).

The first shots were then fired overhead. To the delight of those manning the hilltop, two Spitfires chased a fleeing Junkers 88 escaping from Normandy and shot it down right in front of the position, to a tumultuous cheer from the trenches. On seeing this the defenders of Ste Honorine opened up shelling the RUR positions, during which hastily dug trenches

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were built up to provide better protection.

Sometime during this barrage the attack from the Ulster’s started. After what seemed a long pounding, followed by silence, it became apparent that Devlin and Two Section were on their own; the remainder had moved off without sending word to the small group. On top of this shock discovery, the Ulster’s attack was faltering. Then, as if nothing could get worse, the cry of “Tanks!” went up. Tanks were spotted leaving the village, heading directly towards Two Section to clear them off the feature. Devlin hurriedly prepared for withdrawal. Under the section commander they legged it back towards Ranville, which was the first French village to be liberated.

On arrival a paratrooper sentry informed them that the Ulster’s attack had failed – after retreating the battalion had headed for Longueval. Getting a grip on his sniper rifle once more Devlin and Two Section headed off and found the remainder of the company digging in a holding position on ‘The Top Road’. 18 Platoon lined the bank of a sunken road interlocked with the other platoons. Two Section joined them and hurriedly dug in again, awaiting the expected German counter attack.

After a counter attack failed to materialise the company was ordered to push to the southern end of Longueval village where they were told to dig in for the third time that day, Devlin dug his new shell scrape by the former German headquarters, now the regimental aid post (RAP).

The young platoon commander of 18 Platoon, Lt. Mike Gann, who had left Devlin’s section behind on the Ring Contour, was tasked to carry out a reconnaissance of his old position, for the night of June 9. To help carry out his task he picked his scout/sniper Devlin to lead the way, navigate into the target area and hopefully, back out again. Patrick relished the chance to show what he could do.

The mission was to recce Two Section’s old positions to see if enemy forces now occupied it. For Devlin, this was a typical sniper skill and one he was well rehearsed in. To keep noise to a minimum it was to be a very small patrol.

The final member was always looking for some

FEATURE | WWII HISTORY observation. Instead he crept inside, keeping in the shadow and avoiding any doors and windows in plain view of the enemy arc of fire as he searched up and down the stone house for a fire position but found none suitable.

For all his prowess so far, and to the dismay of the company commander, a frustrated Devlin simply jumped into the street, adopted the kneeling position and fired off two rounds rapid bolt manipulation into the barn in the hope of enticing his opponent to give away his position, whilst using the covering fire to get himself a better look. The OC grabbed him by the epaulette of his Denison smock and pulled him back into cover as several shots rang out from the German. This led to a tit for tat match between the two snipers, but with neither side hitting one another. This alternate shooting went on for some while until it soon became apparent the German sniper was not alone and Patrick Devlin was recalled. action. Lance Corporal Geordie Gibbs would bring up the rear.

This patrol was useful; it enabled Devlin to shake out his scouting skills and get some experience under his belt. On route the patrol passed by the lone para sentry, and after exchanging passwords gained the information that to his knowledge the contour feature certainly was now occupied by the Germans: “Yes they are on the hill.”

Paddy crept ever nearer – and with the

certain knowledge of its occupation – ever more cautiously, until he was within earshot of the trenches where they laid low and listened to German voices talking. Mission accomplished! The lead scout then led the satisfied patrol back to headquarters where Lt. Gann made his report.

Several days later another sniper task came in. C Company commander wanted Devlin to flush out a German sniper from a wooden barn 100m or so outside the village which was overlooking the defensive positions. Paddy quickly gathered up his sniping equipment and set off in the direction of the barn.

To ensure he kept out of line of sight he went up the street using the walls, alleyways, windows, doorways and gardens for concealment. He knew well the superiority of the German machine guns and feared a burst along the street or indeed a shot from the sniper he hunted. He worked his way up the street, house by house, garden by garden until the last house but one, before a large two-storied stone barn-type dwelling. This, he reckoned, would provide him with a decent overwatch of the enemy hid in the wooden barn not far in the distance.

All but this house had been deserted, in which he discovered a lone French woman cowering from view and peeping out at him and then the direction from which the fire had come. Paddy made his way through her house and into the last one. He considered removing roof tiles from several places and using them as holes to shoot from, but he knew he couldn’t as the building appeared under

This article contains extracts from The Sniper Anthology: Snipers of the Second World War, available via Amazon or Pen and Sword books.

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COLD WAR WARRIOR | FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION

french foreign legion Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey examines the loadout of the French Foreign Legion paratrooper officer, seen in 1950s Indochina

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ention the word ‘Vietnam’ to most people and you can bet your bottom dollar they will think about air cav, tiger-striped Special Forces, and the smell of napalm in the morning – but the real struggle for Vietnam’s independence began almost as soon as WWII had finished During WWII the US were keen to get the Vietnamese on side to help expel the Imperial Japanese Army from South-East Asia. The renowned Vietnamese leader Nguy n Sinh Cung (later known as Ho Chi Minh) was promised a ‘free Vietnam’ by the western allies of WWII. The US and Britain hoped to use the help of the people of ‘Indochina’ to swing the balance of the war in their favour, but they had not considered the views of the French government in exile.

Leading a force of 10,000 ‘men in black’, Ho Chi Minh fought a guerrilla war against Japanese and Vichy (pro-German French collaborators) occupation forces from 1941 until the war’s end in 1945.

At this point, everything should have all ended happily – except the French, who had governed Indochina as a colony before the war, had other ideas about its independence. The French government insisted that Indochina remain a French colony. The United States, unwilling to upset a nation that had

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suffered so much in WWII, caved in to French demands and told Ho Chi Minh that, regrettably, they would not be able to honour the arrangements that they had made during the war.

Betrayed by the US Betrayed by the West but still hell-bent on a free Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh appealed to the one power that would help him wrest control from the French and her US allies: the Russian and Chinese communists. And so, embracing communism, Ho Chi Minh galvanised the ‘Viet Minh’ resistance movement and the First Vietnam War, or First Indochina War, began.

With the war officially declared in December of 1946, the Viet Minh were initially poorly equipped. But soon Chinese Military aid (backed by the Russians) arrived, and by the late 1940s the French had a hell of a fight on their hands. Still reeling from years of Nazi occupation, for the French this would be a difficult, costly and ultimately unsuccessful war.

The First Indochina War was notable for being fought to a large degree by France’s renowned Foreign Legion.

The legionnaires made up almost 50 per cent of troops committed to the war and fought in an bewildering array of equipment, as varied as the men that made up this elite formation.

The post-war French Foreign Legion formed parachutetrained formations after their success in WWII, and these men bore the brunt of the war. Formed in 1948 after the success of early parachute operations in Indochina, the French Foreign Legion’s 2nd Parachute Battalion – the 2e Bataillon

étranger de parachutists, or 2BEP – was the latest formation in a proud line of foreign nationals who had fought bravely for France. Over 20,000 French Foreign Legion paras were deployed in Vietnam; over 11,000 would never return. Legion casualties made up over half of the total French casualties sustained in the war.

Impressive Military Heritage Since its inception in 1831 the Legion traditionally opened its doors to men from all over the world and gave them sanctuary, absolution from previous crimes or dishonour, and a new identity as a French citizen, in return for undying loyalty to France and the Legion. But while it was once a refuge for murderers and rapists, these days the Legion is more likely to turn a wanted criminal over to Interpol than enlist him as a brother. Back in the 1940s, however, a man could escape his past crimes (or heartaches) by signing up with le Légion étrangèr.

Legion training is hard and brutal to this day, and this was no different in the 1940s. Its ranks in the 1940s were swollen with disenfranchised men who had grown used to, or even relished, the horrors of war and were unable to settle in peacetime Europe. May were renegades from the Waffen SS, men who could not return to Germany for fear of being arrested for war crimes. Between 1945 and 1960 almost 13 per cent of the Legion were German and only 0.5 per cent were British.

France has always seen its Foreign Legion as a way of stamping French influence on the globe, but without the unpleasant side effect of having to deal with French nationals coming home as casualties. The men of 2BEP were no exception, and were thrown into some of the bloodiest confrontations of the war.

The 2BEP was created in the summer of 1948 and by the winter had arrived in Indochina. The battalion was wiped out and reformed on more than one occasion and perhaps had its ‘hour of glory’ at the doomed

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COLD WAR WARRIOR | FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION battle of Dien Bien Phu, where a Legion outpost was caught unawares by the Viet Minh, who had covertly manpacked mortars and artillery (and hundreds of rounds of ammunition) up to the surrounding, seemingly impassable cliffs surrounding the French base. The Viet Minh subjected the legionnaires to almost two months of relentless shelling and assaults as they besieged the camp. The men of 2BEP parachuted into the base to relieve their brothers and fought almost to the last man – earning themselves a place in the history books as fanatical fighters.

In the years following WWII, France rebuilt its armies by using kit donated (or sold) by Britain and the US. To make up any shortfall, occasional items of captured kit were pressed into service, even WWII German Panther tanks and Japanese fighter planes. With no military industry of its own left intact, France was at the mercy of what its allies could spare, and what kit it could use from captured enemy stockpiles. French soldiers of this period, particularly those of the Legion, reflect this austerity in their unique mix of clothing, equipment and weaponry

A Unique Mix of Equipment Our legionnaire wears a cross-section of surplus WWII equipment. As a paratrooper he wears the WWII US M1 airborne helmet with its distinctive chinstrap, but equally could have been seen in a 1940s British jungle hat or French-made combat cap. His unshaven and somewhat scruffy appearance reflects the strain of extended operations away from home comforts, weeks under siege, and a need to conserve water for drinking.

Over a US army issue shirt our para wears a British WWII windproof suit.

Issued to British troops as a general issue part of the cold weather kit, the suit acquired the nickname ‘SAS suit’ as it was often worn by French SAS in WWII and by UK SAS up until the 1970s. The windproof suit was popular with 2BEP but was often tailored to the legionnaires own inimitable styling. The suit’s pullover smock was often given a zip front to make it less constrictive in the heat of Indochina, and the single map pocket on the thigh was often converted to a pair of ‘cargo pockets’ like those on US parachute jump suits.

While British camouflage suits and UK paratrooper ‘denison’ smocks were

popular it was equally common to see legionnaires wearing US Pacific theatre camouflage, ’duckhunter’ pattern jackets and, in rare instances, WWII German camo garments. Webbing in this instance is almost exclusively American, but domestically-made French pouches and loaned British and German equipment could have been used. Here our para wears a basic officer’s set consisting of belt, suspenders, water bottle pouch, Carlisle dressing pouch and compass pouch. A US leather holster carries his 1911 sidearm and two spare magazines are carried on the belt. While British universal ‘bren’ pouches were often used for magazines for the US M3 grease gun, Thompson or indigenous French MAT SMGs here the ammunition for his WWII vintage German MP40 is carried in a US

ammunition bag. Lastly, a pair of late war British 1944 pattern brown leather jungle boots complete the ensemble.

The first Indochina War and the part played by the French is often overshadowed by the US’s own ‘rock and roll’ war of the 1960s, but for those wanting a Vietnam loadout with a difference, maybe 2BEP is for you.

Because such a wide array of equipment was used, this impression is a great way to get more use out of your WWII kit when you fancy a bit of a change, or want to stand out on an open day. It’s even more satisfying when you can tell the local know-it-all at your site, who insists that your WWII kit is all wrong, to go and do one after telling him about the exploits of the brave men of the French Foreign Legion in the First Indochina War!

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The latest kit to catch our eye at Airsoft Action HQ… HELIKON-TEX YUKON TREKKING BOOT Taking to the field in inadequate footwear can cause you all sorts of problems, especially on longer games, so it pays to make sure you don’t shirk on a proper pair of boots.

Polish gear manufacturer Helikon-Tex has a range of great kit for outdoor and MilSim games, and their Yukon Trekking Boot is the latest to catch our eye, via UK retailer Military 1st.

Made in Poland with greased, thick, nubuk leather, combined with Cordura nylon, these boots are durable and waterproof. They feature a breathable On-Dry membrane lining with high abrasion resistance, a Vibram slip-resistant sole, a Coolmax lined insole, which absorbs moisture and vibration – plus a quick-lacing system, shock-damping, and increased ventilation technology.

PRICE: £138.99 FROM: MILITARY 1ST WEB: www.military1st.co.uk EMAIL: info@military1st.co.uk

WARRIOR DCS DA5.56 The DCS – or Dynamic Combat System – is a lightweight, low-profile plate carrier that is easily rugged enough to stand up to the rigours of airsoft, while providing functionality in spades. Designed with input from Special Forces personnel, the DCS can hold large plates, both front and back, either 6x6” or 6x8” in size.

The shoulders are fully-adjustable and have an emergency release on one side, which frees the lefthand side shoulder section and allows the operator to remove the rig without taking off any headgear – a decent feature if you’re kitted up for MilSim. The A-TACS version shown here – the DA (Direct Action) 5.56 – comes as standard with five pouches for 5.56mm mags, and two small utility/medic pouches.

PRICE: £159.96 FROM: UK TACTICAL WEB: www.uktactical.com TEL: 01642 612524 EMAIL: info@uktactical.com

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KIT BAG | GUNS AND GEAR WARRIOR FRAG BELT AND MOLLE HARNESS (MULTICAM) The Warrior Frag Belt is a large, high-backed tactical belt designed for use in conjunction with Warrior’s MOLLE harness. If offers protection to the lower back and hips from flying BBs – and three removable, cushioned 3D mesh panels attached to the inner part of the belt provide exceptional comfort and cooling.

The MOLLE Harness, meanwhile, offers two attachment points at the front and four at the rear, helping to distribute the weight-carrying load evenly over shoulders and hips. Those who carry heavier combat loads into action will be thankful of this harness, which has a low profile design that works conveniently alongside the Frag Belt – both of which come in MultiCam

PRICE: £49.99 (FRAG BELT); £44.95 (MOLLE HARNESS) FROM: UK TACTICAL WEB: www.uktactical.com TEL: 01642 612524 EMAIL: info@uktactical.com

G&G SOC 16 The SOC 16 – standing for Special Operations Command – from

version 7 gearbox features 7/8mm bearings. It can fire in both

G&G is a carbine version of the M14 platform. At around 3.3kg

semi- and full-auto modes.

in weight, and with an overall length of 930mm, it features a

PRICE: £213 FROM: LAND WARRIOR AIRSOFT WEB: www.landwarriorairsoft.co.uk TEL: 0131 6542452 EMAIL: sales@landwarriorairsoft.com

forward Picatinny RIS rail for mounting accessories such as red-dots (not included in price), while its black polymer finish is sleek and low profile.

The magazine included is a 470-round high cap, while the

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plan of action Billy Basics looks at how to put together a great airsoft event

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n this month’s column I want to look at how to put together a great event – something I have a fair bit of experience in, having run training events through my own company, and attended plenty of airsoft games and army exercises – some good, some not so good. So what makes a great event?

Number Crunching It’s important, when running an event, to keep the numbers manageable. Now, you’re obviously going to be keen to get lots of people to attend, as it would be a disaster if only a handful turned up – but it’ll be trouble if too many turn up. Talk it through with your planning team and try and find an optimum number.

As for money, getting the guys to pay up front means they’ll most likely show up. It’s always an idea to have some reserves in case people don’t show – and if you have a handful you can probably squeeze them in last minute without upsetting the balance.

Insisting on accepting only cash is a bit of

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a pain for everyone – as people just don’t carry that sort of money on them anymore.

They expect to be able to pay with their card, either on the site or in advance, so have a good system for everyone to use.

This also helps keep tabs on everyone attending: you don’t want players to just turn up and not pay.

Keep it cheap if you can. Everyone is after a bargain and, politics aside, we all vote for the party that leaves us with the smallest amount of month at the end of the money.

Just don’t make it too cheap, or punters might think that it’s bound to be rubbish.

Logistics Have plenty of parking space. I don’t think I really need to elaborate on this, do I? I live in Bournemouth and we haven’t been to the beach on the weekends for the past couple of months. In fact, we normally head inland and go the other way, giggling to ourselves at the miles and miles of traffic on the carriageway opposite. Where are they all going to park?

Write a detailed Joining Instruction (JI) for the punters turning up, laying out exactly what’s going to happen without spilling the beans too much – after all, there needs to be a certain amount of suspense and surprise. Your JI should include timings, facilities available, kit they’ll need to bring with them, kit they can get on site, and the time you’ll wrap it up. This shouldn’t be aspirational either – stick to what’s definitely going to be there, because you don’t want to promise things and then not deliver.

Write a main events list (MEL) with timings. You should aim to complete one of these for your organisation team and one for the marshals. Now, it might sound a bit OTT – and if you’ve done loads of these before you might not need to – but if you’re starting out on your first event I think it’s a really good idea. Circulate it to all your organising team and the marshals and you might find that they come back with suggestions. And make sure you keep to the timings, too.

SKILLS ROOM | BILLY BASICS Have a medic plan if people get hurt. The likelihood of minor injuries is high, from sprains, scratches, and bruises to serious bangs on the head and broken bones as the overzealous players leap out of windows and kick doors in. I would advise you to have a robust plan for getting them seen to.

Sit down with your team and talk it through, and if you don’t know what to do get on the phone and call up the guy who ran the last superb event and ask him.

Napoleon Bonaparte is credited with saying “An army marches on its stomach.”

I think he was bang on with that one. It’s essential for morale, and will keep people happy at an event. Scrimp on the food and people won’t be happy.

Make sure you have all the correct insurances. This is really important, and not the sort of thing to be left to the day before the event. Shop around and ask for advice from guys that have run events before.

Don’t forget it, because if someone breaks bones and comes after you, even Usain Bolt couldn’t outrun them – well, maybe over 100m he could, but if they won’t relent after 100m, they’ll get you!

Vehicles can make for a great game of airsoft

The Game Have a good dialogue or story running through your event. The first event I covered for Airsoft Action had me posing as a reporter, which really lent itself to the

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event. I was going to be cutting about the place anyway taking photos and talking to people, so the organiser decided to write me into the dialogue and even added bonus tasks that the guys could win credits if they got me to a certain location to photograph a drug cache or similar. It really got the players thinking and they loved it. The players may have attended some really well put together events and you know what they say – you’re only as good as your last job. Go that extra mile do some research; use your grey matter and you’ll have them pestering you to run more and more events.

Do as much as you can to make the site interesting. Build roadblocks, checkpoints, overturned vehicles, that sort of thing. It’s

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a lot of work and organisation – and is only really practical if you’re going to run plenty of events – but the alternative is just to have a wood or a field with no features. Just imagine how disappointed you’d be. You also need to have decent comms. You’ll need good comms with your marshals, because they might not want to have their iPhone on them, and the plan rarely survives contact with the enemy.

Feedback Don’t get precious about criticism. Just remember that to criticise someone else’s event couldn’t be easier – but to lay one on is hard, so just weather sarcastic comments.

Don’t, whatever you do, lose your temper.

Some criticism may be valid, so have a post-

exercise debrief and always look to improve.

Finally, assume that everything that can go wrong will go wrong. Then plan to ensure that it doesn’t happen. For example, what if it pisses down with rain? Bear it in mind. The punters are not going to rip you apart for an act of nature on Twitter or Facebook. But if you’ve got a wet weather programme then they’ll thank you for it.

What I used to do when planning this kind of thing was to find somewhere quiet (with my glass half empty pessimist hat on) and sit and slowly run it through from start to finish and have a notebook ready to jot my thoughts and concerns down.

Cover all your bases and the event is more likely to be a success. Good luck! Billy out.

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EVENT REPORT | IRON MAN IV

milsim espanol

Two Spanish airsofters, ‘Morituri’ of Airsoft Bilbao, and ‘Tenchu’ of the ASG Delta Team, report on the latest Iron Man event – their country’s annual, national airsoft epic. Photography: Javier Fernandez, Marine Recon Asturias

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here we were, staring once again at Mount Monsacro. Friends old and new had gathered and were waiting patiently for this year’s annual Iron Man event – Spain’s hardcore national airsoft game. After the greetings and banter had died down, we were ready to face the challenge that our MRA (Marine Recon Asturias) colleagues had prepared for this year. This is not just a big event; it›s a chance to flex your skills, patience, endurance and overall preparedness. What else could we ask for?

Iron Man IV started on a Friday evening and finished on the Saturday afternoon. The

event recreated missions between North and South Korea, with regular troops and special ops units taking part.

Airsoft Bilbao and ASG Delta Team have participated in all four Iron Man events, and were able to successfully complete all of them. Here we report on the hour-by-hour experiences of these two teams.

ASG DELTA: Saturday 09:00-11:00 With some of the best Spanish teams deployed all over the playing area, and having just marched up a long, steep climb through barbed wire and other obstacles, our ‘North Korean’ patrol was discovered…

by a small, white terrier. The puppy, happy to have found new playmates, jumped around excitedly. He seemed unbothered by our painted faces, backpacks and weapons, which made us appear like green trolls – and after many kilometres of climbing marches, we must’ve smelt like trolls, too!

We couldn’t avoid being seen by the woman following the dog, so we had nothing left to do but to relax and display the best of our airsofters’ sense of humour.

A member of the public stumbling into the middle of a firefight on a normal game might be cause for alarm – but this is not

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a usual airsoft game, this is Iron Man, a huge event that, after years of the Marine Recon Asturias team’s friendly work, has got the full support of local authorities and the civilian population itself. All the Morcin council population is aware of this event and consider the sporadic meetings with the players as normal and harmless.

This endearing woman said she thought she might have seen us 10 minutes previously on the mountain beyond. We asked some leading questions to try to find out where – and then, following her directions, proceeded to walk straight into an enemy patrol! This funny interlude may have changed our mission end destiny by giving us an unexpected turn, and perhaps prevented us from being caught in a deadly fire zone. Now we were wondering if there had been an MRA staff conspiracy… as a couple of miles beyond, one of our allied patrols was ambushed and mercilessly massacred by one of Airsoft Bilbao’s two patrols.

AIRSOFT BILBAO: Friday 24:00Saturday 03:00 Night fell as we got ready. The first news that came in from command was that our team would be split; half of us would be

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part of a South Korean special operations unit, while the rest of us remained as regular troops. Our regular guys were deployed close to a village, which stood between them and the unit they had to meet.

We moved cautiously, arriving with the help of a patrol we’d arranged with two other teams – Clan Cerbero and 303 Logistica – who marched with us from then on. We were given the GPS position of our target: an unidentified building some kilometres away from our current position – we had only to seize and secure it.

Meanwhile our spec ops guys were deployed in the outskirts of another village. Their mission was to recon a building, the Cheese Museum, and provide information to our side. At 400 metres we found a premium spot for surveillance, and spotted groups of hostiles close to the building, and some more enemies heading towards it.

We awaited orders. Sometime later, we got the mission: we must enter the building and extract the VIP, a scientist.

Our group split in half again. We were aware of a big enemy presence so the approach was extremely delicate.

Once in position, the first attack wreaked havoc in the main gate. The combined shooting of our forces, enemy friendly fire and security forces inside the building caused enough confusion to allow the second spearhead to enter through the second floor, clear the area and get to the VIP. There was a chance to escape by rappelling down the side of the building, but while the shooting continued, it became impossible.

Now, speed and luck became the key to success. Our escape route was the entrance through the second floor. Friends outside were down and without cover; we ran to the extraction point. We were shot down like bunnies through our enemies› NVG, while the VIP seemed to reach the extraction point at the end of the ramp.

ASG DELTA TEAM: Friday 24:00Saturday 03:00 After many hours in the village, our team was deployed in the game from the Morcin Sports Centre at midnight.

Our goal – which we didn’t know was a common target of Airsoft Bilbao’s ‘Green Devils’ – was to reach the impressive construction of the Morcin Cheese Museum.

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EVENT REPORT | IRON MAN IV It took a long time for our presence at the target to be confirmed and we were frustrated by a lack of communication with headquarters while we sat and waited for their acknowledgement. Suddenly, we saw two other groups approaching and were surprised to see how aggressive they were as they assaulted the first floor, eliminating the scientist’s bodyguards in the process.

In a few seconds we lost two guys and our opponents lost three.

It was the beginning of a tense stand-off in which the exchange of fire between the building and the river bank (where we were expecting our support group) seemed to favour us with no casualties. After a first escape attempt, the scientist ran back down the ramp through our fire.

After that tense first mission, our team took part in a building night rappel, set up and managed by Marines› rope work experts. Soon after, we set off on our next mission, and after many miles and hills, arrived back where the little white terrier found us. Bells ringing in the nearby town alerted us to the enemy arriving – and a change in mission soon saw us heading into the distance to defend our base.

With an ankle and a knee now wounded within our patrol, we decided to approach the enemy from their back. Breathing new life into the defence during the final South Korea attack on our base, we fought until our last drop of sweat.

DID YOU KNOW? Airsoft guns are considered by new laws in Spain to be weapons, and it is necessary to have a weapons owner card, which includes the gun’s serial number.

AIRSOFT BILBAO: From Dawn till the End Meanwhile the regulars continued their ascent. Night was tricky, as our feet were unstable without the moon to guide us, and visibility was limited. One of our mates from 303 had injured his knee and had to retreat with help from his comrades. The mission was the first, so the rest of the patrol continued marching safely under the dark cloak of the night.

We left the woods at first light, before the sun appeared. The objective was in front of us, 200m ahead; we couldn’t see enemy activity but we advanced with the sun at our back just in case it could give us some advantage.

Once the house was secured it made an adequate patrol base, as it could barely be seen because of the dense foliage.

We established a perimeter and many other friendly troops passed through this safe area heading for the airfield. We

heard about intense battles there, and were willing to fight, but that was not our mission.

After some hours spent watching, HQ set new missions for the competitors: regular troops must secure a Patriot missile site, and spec ops must recon the enemy›s missile launch pads. Our troops moved out to the Patriot site coordinates

and waited to ambush whoever came along. Our spec ops guys lifted their ambush, which had been calm despite HQ›s suspicion of enemy activity in the area, and set off for a new surveillance spot to collect activity information on the enemy.

This time the slope was steeper than before and we were inside enemy territory.

Hours of tension, a lack of sleep, and

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EVENT REPORT | IRON MAN IV renown is highly justified. It wouldn›t have been half as fun without their cunning conduct. Our energy is being replenished as we hit the town again to meet our friends, greet Marine Recon Asturias –the organisation and sponsors – and share our experiences of the event. Unfortunately we didn›t gain anything from the raffle but nonetheless we want to thank Skyway and the local airsoft federation (Federacion Asturiana de Airsoft) and the local village Morcin Council, for supporting this event for another year, and hope we will be honoured enough to be invited to this fantastic event again next year.

Participation in this year’s IM was higher than the previous, so many more players had their bravery tested. Rookie teams especially loved wandering through the Morcin streets and countryside with full gear on!

ASG Delta: Iron Man is an event managed by brothers to play with and against brothers. It is the best environment to meet and play the most talented teams.

It was good to defend our official ICS weapons in a competitor-sponsored event.

Our endless thanks go to our Marine Recon friends for their effort during the whole year, which enable this event to keep running as a clearly top range national event; and to the Morcin people for their compliance.

fatigue started to drain our energy, but there was no time to hesitate or complain.

We could see the objective 500m away but there was no natural cover around it, so we took a breather before advancing prone for 100m up the slope, until we reached a nice watch-post. The enemy was gathering around the place like ants and we could feel patrols close to us. We reported all this information to our HQ and awaited instructions.

At this time, the enemy patrol entered our Patriot missile site and got into our ambush. Their point men fell instantly but their rear reorganised and took cover. There followed an intense firefight with victims on both sides until they were finally cleared.

We healed our wounded and reset the ambush as HQ warned there were more enemies heading our way.

Our spec ops established contact with the other spec ops team and coordinated an attack from regular forces. HQ’s orders were strict: ‘watch and don›t be seen’. We

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were told that a nuclear missile would be launched at our country and all South Korean forces must prevent it.

For these full-force attacks, regular troops who were stationed in the area would attack the most heavily defended entrance, while spec ops would bait their flank. The other spec ops group would take the edge and attack from the hilltop. They had the terrain as their advantage and although the task seemed impossible, they were well covered and their machine guns reaped our positions. Our morale rose as their numbers lowered but there was not enough time – the missile had been launched. All South Korean troops who were coming from different places were urged to retreat as the enemy was victorious, and were now pursuing all survivors.

The End Airsoft Bilbao: It’s been a serious game and although our side didn’t win, we had so much fun battling our enemies – their

ABOUT IRON MAN The local authorities and law enforcement (guardia civil) in Morcin, Asturias (a Spanish province where the game is held), give their full support to this MilSim style event, which covers the entire area governed by the local council.

The council not only endorses the event, but gets actively involved. Players don’t have to skulk off into the hills around the town – the game involves actual buildings in the area. Makes you think, doesn’t it?

IM is not for the faint-hearted, though.

Players must be fit, prepared to work with maps and ropes, and able to play day and night in an assigned role. The first two IM events saw 60 per cent of players quit mid-game.

For more information, check out Marine Recon Asturias on Facebook – and depending on how good your Spanish is, visit the site of the Federacion Espanola de Airsoft at www.federacion-espa-airsoft.es

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A Blackhawk commonly used during the MX adventures

E M E R EXT

MILSIM An elite group of ex-Special Forces soldiers has created the ultimate five-day special ops experience in Jordan that may well tempt airsofters with the necessary wherewithal.

Pete Carr brings us the lowdown…

I PETE CARR, AUTHOR Pete Carr is editor of Sporting Rifle magazine. A former professional hunting outfitter turned freelance journalist, he has worked on and alongside the international security circuit in Africa on anti-poaching initiatives and has earned his living with the rifle, camera and latterly the pen for the past 20 years writing/compiling five books and numerous articles for mainstream publications and television.

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October 2013

t has to be every airsofter’s ultimate fantasy: five days in the Middle East at the world’s most advanced counter-terrorism and special operations training centre, living alongside soldiers from the SAS, Delta Force, US Navy SEALS and other legendary Special Forces units, tackling a series of demanding operational challenges.

An impossible dream? No, it’s really possible. You don’t even need any previous military or firearms experience. You just need to be reasonably fit. Oh, and have a spare £12,500 to spend. Still, in return you’ll have memories to last you a lifetime and, hell, what do you get for £12,500 these days? Do they take wives/girlfriends on eBay? Just asking…

The men behind this unique opportunity are Harry Taylor, ex British SAS, and Charles ‘CK’ Redlinger, a former US Marine. With a group of former international Special Forces soldiers, the pair recently launched Mission X, offering an authentic special operations experience as the ultimate fantasy vacation and character-building exercise.

“The Mission X team shares your passion for travel, adventure and calculated risktaking,” enthuses their website. “If the thought of trekking the Amazon, climbing Everest and HALO (high altitude, low opening) jumping from 30,000 feet doesn’t faze you, you might just be ready for the Mission X experience.”

Sound good? The standard five-day tactical Special Operations Adventure Experience

EXTREME MILSIM | MISSION X (SOAE) throws you head-first into a series of missions and scenarios described as so intense and extreme that the lines between reality and fantasy become blurred.

You become a member of a six- to eightman elite unit activated to deploy. You link up with your team at a FOB (Forward Operating Base) in a classified location within a semipermissive environment. You receive detailed OPORDs (Operational Orders) and gather intelligence on several mission profiles. And that’s when the fun really begins.

Your mission is to severely disrupt and destroy an enemy operating cell that has been discovered planning and executing operations in the region. From your FOB, you will conduct training to hone your skill sets before and between missions. Upon receiving authority to execute your missions, you will move/insert by vehicle, foot or helicopter to the target, and then conduct actions on the objective using speed, surprise and violence of action.

A typical five-day schedule includes weapons familiarisation covering .50 cal, .308 and .338, an MOE (method of entry) demo, VIP protection and evasive driving, rappelling, and UH-60 Blackhawk familiarisation. All participants will be provided with full tactical

gear: cammies, boots, shades, and more, by First Spear – a package worth £1,500. You’ll carry out operations in urban and wooded areas, the CQB house and even a Roman amphitheatre.

These are highly-charged, realistic war-game scenarios offering all the excitement and adrenalin of real military operations, but with the highly-experienced members of Team MX ensuring that you enjoy the experience and return home in one piece. The team are keen to make it clear that this is not military training.

“Participants receive sufficient instruction to make the adventure real and extreme,” they say. “However, you do not receive formal military training or information on any special operations tactics that may put real Special Forces operatives or operations at risk.”

Team MX takes full advantage of its unique connection with KASOTC, the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Centre located in Amman, Jordan. The centre was the vision of His Majesty, King Abdullah II of Jordan. As monarch of a country with one of the most capable Special Forces units in the world, and with a background in special operations, King Abdullah II wanted to create a centre of excellence for special operations training and he certainly achieved it at KASOTC. Set in 1,200 acres, the purpose-built facility specialises in counter-terrorism, special operations and irregular warfare. Currently, KASOTC is the only training centre of its kind in the world. It incorporates integrated advanced technology throughout, with numerous ranges, a mock city, special

“The standard experience throws you into a series of missions and scenarios so intense that the lines between reality and fantasy become blurred”

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MX co-founder Harry Taylor climbs the eight storey commando tower at KASOTC

MX co-founder CK Redlinger opens the 4th Annual Warrior Competition at KASOTC while giving a speech to the King of Jordan and 32 international counter-terrorism teams

HARRY TAYLOR Harry Taylor co-founded Mission X with Charles ‘CK’ Redlinger. Harry served with 45 CDO Royal Marines and 22 SAS operating worldwide. He has vast experience in the commercial security world and has undertaken operational anti-poaching in Africa, KnR, PSD and instructional roles in a wide range of disciplines.

He is qualified as a high alpine mountain guide through the International Federation of Mountain Guides Association (IFMGA) and continues to lead regular mountain adventures. He summited Everest without supplementary oxygen in 1993. He was the first Briton to paraglide from Denali and Cho Oyo and is an active skydiver and BASE jumper.

His work as a technical advisor includes stunt double and safety work on more than 15 films and documentaries including Touching the Void, Alive series for Discovery, and Aliens vs. Predator for 20th Century Fox. As an instructor at the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC) Harry has trained counterterrorism and special operations forces.

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October 2013

battlefield effects, and a fibre optic network system connecting hundreds of cameras, microphones, target systems and simulators.

Several members of Team MX were involved in the design and development of KASOTC in its early years.

“We have conducted many training scenarios at KASOTC,” says ‘CK’ Redlinger. “It was a natural progression to offer affordable tactical adventures, corporate leadership and development training programmes, and consulting to the film and television industry.”

Upon arrival at KASOTC the action begins immediately. Participants spend five days living and working as operatives alongside Special Forces soldiers from the world’s most recognised special operations units. These guys are the real deal: soldiers from elite units in the United States, Great Britain, New Zealand and Denmark. They have all proven themselves in the field and, in addition to their military expertise, they are accomplished authors, world-record holders in extreme sport, world-class athletes, leadership coaches, stuntmen and shooting champions.

Participants receive a high quality limited edition plaque and certificate of completion,

as well as a complementary two-day stay at the five-star Moevenpick Resort Petra, and guided visit of the ancient city of Petra, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system.

I had exclusive access to much of the training facility and engaged with a number of the Mission X instructors, and to say I was impressed would be an understatement of massive proportions. This facility is the best there is, and with SAS and Delta Force legends such as Johnny ‘Two Combs’ Howard, Harry Taylor, Daryl Holland, and John McPhee, you will be in experienced hands that guarantee to take you to the edge and back.

In addition to the adventure experience, Mission X offers a leadership and development training programme like no other. Structured around military situations and operations, the corporate combat adventure is designed to bring out the best in managers and their teams and lead to more effective planning.

The company also provides services to film and television, drawing on the expertise of its international team of ex-Special Forces operators with real-life experience of special operations in the field. Their previous work includes documentaries filmed in the world’s most extreme environments and Hollywood movies filmed on location and in the studio.

If you’re already eyeing up the family silver, car, wife, and wondering how to raise that £12,500, there are a few things you should know. Participation is not guaranteed.

Applicants are assessed to ensure they are eligible. A criminal record will disqualify you instantly. You will also need to be reasonably fit. Participants are required to carry a combat

EXTREME MILSIM | MISSION X

An example of the advanced battlefield effects at KASOTC used during adventures

load of equipment similar to loads carried by real solders. While carrying the combat load, you will have to run, jump, climb, crawl, rappel from high structures, enter and exit aircraft and complete other activities associated with military actions.

You will not, however, need any previous military training or experience, and there is no requirement for prior experience with firearms.

The adventure includes sufficient weapons familiarisation for you to engage successfully in the adventures and individual missions.

The price does not include your flights to and from Amman, but once you are there just about everything is paid for, including transfer to the FOB, accommodation in military-style

quarters, three buffet-style meals a day, plus use of all personal and team equipment, vehicles, weapons and ammunition, tactical aircraft and all training areas and other tactical consumables used during the missions.

Naturally you’ll need to pay for any personal extras such as drinks, telephone calls and the like, plus any meals you chose to take outside the facility. You’ll also need to arrange your own personal medical and travel insurance and bring whatever spending money you might need.

Want to find out more? Check the website www.missionx.com for full details of the adventures currently on offer in Jordan with the World’s elite Special Forces instructors.

MX Special Operations Adventure in Jordan

CHARLES ‘CK’ REDLINGER Co-founder of Mission X CK served in the US Marine Corps as an assault team leader, assault breacher and a close quarters battle instructor. Later, he joined the DeKalb County Police Department (Atlanta) and served as a patrol officer in the streets of south-east Atlanta, a detective in the Robbery-Homicide Unit, a sniper team leader on the SWAT Team and as commander in the Vice and Permits Unit.

CK earned over 20 commendations for actions in the line of duty. CK worked on a close protection detail for the regional US Ambassador in Basra and as General David Pertraeus’ Security Manager at the MultiNational Security Transition Command — Iraq in Baghdad. He was selected to assist in opening the world’s premier Counter Terrorism Training Center (King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center) in Jordan. He developed the Business and Operations sections and ultimately held the position of Deputy Director (Acting).

Over the course of three years, CK was instrumental in building the KASOTC’s reputation as a centre of excellence and establishing an international network of clients for the 200 million dollar facility. CK organised the Annual Warrior Competition for its first four years. This competition brings together international counterterrorism and Special Operations units to compete in challenging live-fire exercises.

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DEBATEDEBATE | REGEN | SNIPING RULES

HIT MEN AND MEDICS Airsoft sites and events across the country all have their own system for deciding on how being ‘shot out’ effects you – but is there an ideal system, asks Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey?

F

or the record, and for the sake of objectivity, I have to state that I dislike the regen rule. It’s not the endless trudging back and forth from a start point I object to; it’s not the ‘carefree’ attitude to getting shot up that I feel it encourages, either – it’s the fact that most airsofters can’t keep their mouths shut and withhold info they learnt while ‘dead’! While it may be true that dead men can’t talk, resurrected ones definitely can.

Imagine a scenario at your local open

day: you’ve just spent 30 minutes stealthily flanking the enemy force and have the drop on one of their squads.

You open up with a short burst and after few ‘ows’ and ‘hit’s four guys are off to the regen point – and here your troubles begin. You see, you are a good 15 minutes walk from your regen, but your ‘shot out’ opposition are just five minutes away from theirs, and with the best will in the world most players are not going to remain quiet and let you carry on with your murderous mission.

Nope, they’ll just say ‘the blue team are right on our flank’ the second they regen.

But perhaps I’m being harsh on the regen rule (or too cynical about other players). If you’ve got the stamina it certainly gives you more bang for your buck, giving you more ‘in-game’ time than other systems – and on big sites it really can be essential if you don’t want players spending hours waiting for a medic or for the next scenario to start. And it’s perhaps fair to say that

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DEBATE | REGEN RULES READERS’ VIEWS CHRIS WALTON: “I like the medic rule, where every player has a couple of bandages. When hit, you get a player to tie one on your arm and you are back in, but if no one gets to you after a couple of minutes it’s back to the spawn point. It stops people speed-counting to 10 and leads to a choice between helping your mate or keeping fighting.”

JAMIE KECK: “It’s totally dependent on the style of the game and type of players you are catering for. Counting off a buddy and then going straight back in seems perfect for fast run-and-gun skirmishes. The medic/bandage rule seems perfect for themed, slower-paced games and a dedicated medic per squad is the right fit for MilSim.” ALEX GREEN: “I was at a site that implemented the 10-second medic rule, with infinite lives. It became ridiculous when two people sat in a building, as one was hiding and medic-ing the other. You steam through ammo and the game comes to a standstill. The medic rule just seems to be used wrongly at too many sites, or it’sover-complicated.”

MATTHEW PHILPOTT: “For large, themed games I like the medic rule as it allows the group to continue to function that bit longer while also adding to the fun with people shouting for a medic.

On that note I do, however, prefer for there to only be one bandage per person, so you know that if you get hit again you’re toast and need to return to base.”

CLOUDED EMMS: “I think it should vary by the site that you are playing at.

Nobody wants to play airsoft and spend half the day walking to or from a regen, but alternately, no one wants to spend half their day fighting endless enemies using the medic rule.”

PAUL HAYES: “Hit and out is far too much like paintball, but it can make the games much faster. However, I’d be annoyed if I got shot straight away without getting a single shot off.”

060

the regen rule encourages honesty. Several players expressed concerns that if you’ve only got one ‘life’ for every 30-60 minutes of game time, then the less scrupulous among us may have a tendency to dishonestly shrug off hits rather than sit out the dead time.

At many sites, the immediacy of a regen is tempered somewhat by a ‘regen clock’, whereby the player has to wait until a set amount of time elapses. Other measures sites have used include only allowing regen players to leave in ‘squads’ of three or more and, occasionally, a ‘life pool’ of poker chips – take one when you regen, but when the team runs out it’s back to ‘hit and out’.

But let’s look at the pros and cons of some of the other popular options. The ‘hit and out’ rule is popular on open days in games over a short timespan or small area. While it probably gives the ultimate in ‘realism’, it can mean an unlucky player spends more time in the safe zone than on the skirmish field. As we’ve discussed, this can potentially lead to ‘bulletproof’ players, especially those who might have spent some time crawling into a good position.

For most players and sites, the compromise seems to be some sort of medic or life pool system. This can be as simple as another player reaching a ‘hit’ player within a minute and counting to 10 slowly with a hand on the other player (and neither firing) or as ‘real’ as roleplaying strapping on a field

dressing and stretchering out the wounded player in a hardcore MilSim. Opinion seems to be divided as to whether one or more players should be able to ‘medic’ any other players as many times as they carry bandages. I have to say, however, that playing the dedicated medic takes a certain type of airsofter, as they are nearly always run ragged and rarely get much shooting done as they dive around the site fixing up fallen comrades.

Popular consensus from the Airsoft Action readership suggests that, while everyone has their own preference, in the end it’s the site that dictates the system. On small sites, a regen or even a ‘quick medic’ rule can result in boring stalemates as neither side can use a concentration of force to shoot out and overwhelm the enemy before launching a game-winning assault. On the flipside, on larger sites, regen from the safe zone can sometimes take you more time than actually waiting until the battle ends.

HAVE YOUR SAY Got an opinion to share on the regen debate? Got an idea for a future topic? Get in touch with Airsoft Action via the address on page 4, or email michaelh@blazepublishing.co.uk.

Look out for future debate polls at our Facebook page (facebook.com/ AirsoftAction)

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FEATURE | EYE PROTECTION

EYES ON THE

GROUND Last issue Andy Bourne explained the need for adequate eye protection in airsoft – and now he looks at eye pro options for those who need prescription glasses and contact lenses

T

he importance of eye protection in airsoft has long been acknowledged.

There are many options to suit most scenarios, at various price points – but for those who need their eyesight correcting, the choices narrow significantly. Roughly 65 per cent of the adult population of the UK require some form of correction for their eyesight. By far the most common way of achieving this is with spectacles. The next option is to use contact lenses. This is a more involving, and frequently more expensive option. Lets examine this first.

Contact lenses, by virtue of their being in contact with the eye, can have serious effects. Wearing time is limited by how much

oxygen passes through the lens material, how prone the lens is to drying out, the age and cleanliness of the lens, and other factors.

Contact lens over-wear is often a contributory factor in complications and problems with eyesight. Minor abrasions can rapidly become infected, leading to a very painful red eye and, unless immediate treatment is rendered, there is risk of partial loss of vision.

In the early stages, there are few signs that something is wrong. Often the wearer will be inclined to grit their teeth and carry on rather than take out a contact lens. Perhaps they have no spare glasses with them, or their eye protection will be useless without lenses as

ANDY BOURNE Andy Bourne is an ophthalmic optician, former reserve forces officer, and keen MilSim airsofter. He is associate optometrist with the Vision Surgery & Research Centre, UK, and currently divides his time between hospital, general practice and airsoft. He is a terrible gear addict.

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Prescription carriers are just one of the options open to airsofters in need of visual aid

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SKILLS ROOM | GUN SAFETY they will not see well. It is because of problems such as this that contact lens wear on operations is heavily discouraged. A minor issue can rapidly become serious enough to warrant casualty evacuation. A similar scenario in airsoft, particularly on a weekender, can easily arise. Long wearing times, perhaps followed by sleeping in the contact lenses against advice, will soon raise the risk of infection.

Spectacle wearers will have, on the whole, fewer issues. However, their eye protection can often prove cumbersome. Mesh goggles over a pair of glasses can be unwieldy, as can a pair of safety specs squeezed on over normal glasses. Some players will discard safety protection and play in just their normal specs. This leads to a couple of issues. Firstly, unlike safety eye wear, ‘normal’ spectacles do not offer significant impact protection.

They may stand up reasonably well, but I have seen players with cracked spec lenses. This won’t make for a pleasant drive home, nor indeed will they be cheap to replace. If they are the player’s only pair of specs, this can be a big problem. There have also been issues with side-on hits, which can cause the BB to strike the inside of the specs and bounce into the eye. As most normal specs don’t have a wraparound shape, this is always going to be a problem.

The best solution from a protective standpoint is prescription safety protection. There are two methods to achieve this. The most common system is to use a prescription carrier, similar to a small pair of specs. The carrier will clip into safety spectacles, or into goggles. This allows the wearer to see clearly. The advantage of this system is that the prescription carrier can have new lenses fitted if the eyes change. Also, it is common for a specific manufacturer’s prescription carrier to fit into many of the products across their range, so switching from eye shields to goggles may not require a change of prescription carrier. However, the lenses in the carrier provide another lens surface that can fog up. Care must be taken to keep the lenses scrupulously clean otherwise this will be a significant issue.

More common in recent times, due to advances in high impact optical lenses, is the prescription protective glasses. In these, there is no insert; the lens in the glasses provides impact protection as well as prescription.

The material of choice in this case is polycarbonate. Under high impact, polycarbonate will deform, but not shatter, making it ideal. It is a relatively light material compared to, for example, toughened glass, and is easily available in most prescription strengths. It is also available in a wraparound curve to cater for sports and wrapped spectacles.

Polycarbonate is tough enough to cater for any foreseeable impact in airsoft. It is used in industrial safety applications, as well as ballistic glasses. The drawback is that it is relatively soft, and most polycarbonate lenses come with a scratch-resistant coating applied at the manufacturing source. It is also susceptible to chemical damage from acetone (nail polish remover) which is sometimes present in glass cleaners – so be careful what you clean your polycarbonate lenses with. Polycarbonate is difficult to tint compared to standard spectacle lens material, however some manufacturers can supply pre tinted lenses to cater to most requirements.

So a polycarbonate lens in a wraparound shape can provide the necessary protection as well as vision clarity required, without the disadvantage of a separate lens carrier.

In summary, having to wear spectacles or contact lenses when playing airsoft may be seen as a barrier or drawback, but it need not be so. There are various options available to suit most players. Discussing your needs with your eyecare professional is a very good place to start. He or she is best placed to advise you on the best method for correcting and protecting your eyesight. There are many options to deliver good clear vision while providing the protection necessary. It is important to appreciate the key benefits and drawbacks of the available options to make an informed choice as to what is best.

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G&G: NEXT GENERATION Just months after G&G released its Generation 2 range, it has gone and released the Generation 3 models! So have you just bought an out of date rifle? Scott Allan takes a look

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G

&G really does move at a lightning pace these days. Its Gen 2 models were only released at the start of 2013, and already the Taiwanese company has announced the Gen 3 types. So why all this continual change when much sought-after models like the M1 Garand are still being designed? Well, I think it’s partly due to G&G’s unique policy of actually listening to its customers. This is not a bad policy by any stretch of the imagination, but in some ways it can be a hindrance.

As the saying goes, ‘the customer is always right.’ Tell that to the Tesco worker

dealing with someone complaining that their TV doesn’t work and there’s a big footprint on the screen. So, are G&G concentrating too much on a single avenue? Let’s have a look.

I first came across G&G in 2004. I still remember sitting with my mate who was looking to purchase his first rifle. We saw the full metal M4 online for around £250, pumping out a whopping 330fps.

We couldn’t believe the value. He bought the rifle and it sounded great until it fired its fourth magazine and promptly died.

After a rebuild from the company he purchased it from it ran okay, but never

THE ARMOURY | G&G TR4 CQB-R

6.03mm Barrel

as well as it should have. G&G received scathing reviews, and its reputation lay pretty much in tatters. But confident in its ability to correct what went horribly wrong, G&G went back to the drawing board. I didn’t really hear much about the company for a long while. The name would creep up and we would joke that they all broke and then go buy a TM rifle. Then around five years ago I started speaking to G&G directly about testing products. The rest, as they say, is history.

This Generation 3 review is for the TR4 CQB R, which is effectively a classic M4 CQB R. G&G Top Tech M4s (their Pro-Line models) all have a patented pneumatic system to provide blowback.

It is, admittedly, more of a gimmick than the likes of the new ERG or TM Recoil Shock rifles you see. So what is a G&G Gen 3 rifle? Well, externally, the TR4 has not changed, nor has the blowback system. The changes are largely all internal, so it can be hard to tell what, if any upgrades you have. But the list goes like this:

This is the optimum internal barrel in my experience. There are tighter ones, but you run the risk of feeding issues, especially on full auto with certain brands of BBs. People who spend £500 on a rifle then buy the cheapest BBs possible do exist, and I have seen rifles returned to companies purely because the player refused to change brand of BB. Think of it like this: If you had a date with Cheryl Cole (or another celeb of your fancy) would you take them to a fast food restaurant? Only if you were stupid. Good quality BBs are not expensive; they’re not even hard to find.

Many companies do their own branded versions, which are fine, but do they consistently check the quality? Probably not. Avoid any self-named brands that aren’t stocked in multiple stores.

‘Jimbo’s Super Sniper BBs’ are probably not going to serve you well. Many put a funny name or slogan to entice you in and while ‘Glorious White Spray’ is funny, the likelihood of a stripped piston from crud in your barrel is not. So check your brand is stocked in at least two or three stores to at least give you a hint they’re good quality.

High-Torque Motor There is a long-standing mistake relating to motors and using the word ‘upgraded’. A high-speed motor is just that – a high-torque motor is just

that. While most standard motors are a balance between these two, you generally either have high speed or high torque. It’s all down to the construction of the motor and the faster it goes the less torque it generates. You can work around this by changing the materials.

The Systema PTW has one of the most expensive motors, utilising Neodymium magnets. They give lots of torque and speed at the expense of another variable – cost. The G&G Gen 2 Torque Motor is designed to give you a good trigger response, or for if you want to fit a much larger spring to your rifle. You’ll still get a good 800 rounds per minute on an average 8.4V mini NiMh battery on a high torque motor.

The response on an 11.1V LiPo is very, very good. The downside is that a 11.1V battery can make the motor overturn, effectively giving you a double tap on single shot. This is why the Generation 3 has a MOSFET.

High-Grade Wiring Wiring is an unsung hero in airsoft. ICS is possibly the furthest behind in my opinion, yet I don’t understand why.

Wire is cheap; good wire is just as cheap.

Companies such as Dytac are now fitting silver wiring as standard. It increases the life of your rifle and makes it better all round. G&G is bang up to date in terms of wiring in its Gen 3 guns.

Deans and Tamiya Connectors Deans are thought to provide a better transfer of power than Tamiya connectors, but many people just stick with whatever their rifle and batteries come with – which is fair, but at least this gives you the option. Deans are more stable and easier to change in my opinion, but it is a personal preference.

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THE ARMOURY | G&G TR4 CQB-R

Metal Hop Units As upgrades go, I wouldn’t always say metal is better than plastic for hop units – but it is part of the Gen 3 upgrades. Certainly a one-piece hop unit is better than a two, which the metal types are.

MOSFET This is the main change from Gen 2 to Gen 3. Basically G&G has just added a MOSFET. The cost difference between the two generations is almost nil.

The only issue is I don’t actually like MOSFET units! It is just one more thing to go wrong in my books.

While a good MOSFET should last a long time, they do all run the risk of burning out, rendering your rifle hopeless. Too many poor MOSFETs exist in the airsoft market – I’ve seen them all, and only two or three are worth considering. The best is probably the ASCU unit. So, if you are scratching your head wondering what a MOSFET is, it stands for Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor.

Sounds very Star Trek doesn’t it?

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What it basically does is regulate the voltage going through your mechanical trigger and sends it straight to the motor instead of the higher resistance trigger.

This means you should get a better trigger response, quicker rate of fire, and your mechanical trigger shouldn’t burn out as quick. The G&G version also puts a reverse current through which is known as active breaking. On single shot this means the motor should be powered to turn for a single shot – then a reverse current makes it brake to prevent over turning. Simple and clever.

The Gen 3 roll-out is ongoing like the Gen 2, so be sure to check your box is marked up as a Gen 3 rifle if that is what you have paid for. The MOSFET is an easy enough item to identify to make sure you have a Gen 3 model.

Conclusion G&G has once again released a whole new range for stores to stock. It might benefit the masses, but at the same time it may put some people off who do not want a MOSFET. The MOSFET is, on paper, a good thing, and it will

help the lifetime of your rifle. The back up support that G&G provides is very good so any issues should be quickly resolved. So coupling all the upgrades that are pre-installed on these rifles together you have an outrageous amount of value, as the price has never really increased in the past few years.

For that reason alone, the G&G range is worth your consideration.

I just wish that G&G could concentrate on some new models that are not M4 variations, instead of releasing upgraded versions of what we already have.

INFORMATION & PRICE G&G TR4 CQB-R

LENGTH: 700mm/795mm INNER BARREL LENGTH: 275mm WEIGHT: 2.08kg (with magazine) MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 450 rounds BLOWBACK: Yes RECEIVER: metal GRIPS: RIS foregrip PRICE: From £280

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16/08/2013 15:39

A SHOT IN THE DARK I

The smallest actions, in life and on the battlefield, can have far-reaching consequences, as Kris Roberts explores‌

t has been said that, in life, the small things matter: a look or gesture, a spoken or written word. Each of these carries the power to change our lives, although at the time of delivery the full consequences of these actions are often beyond our imagining. In the full repertoire of human ability there is no more effective motion than the pulling of the trigger.

This tiniest of physical movements brings forth a result that far outweighs the effort that is made to create it.

From this act come ripples of consequence that travel far and affect many. But the distance the ripples reach can only truly be seen with the passing of time and the use of hindsight.

The most obvious example to use when discussing how a small action, such as a trigger pull, can produce unfathomable results is in reviewing political assassination. Think of the pistol that killed Lincoln, or the rifle that

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took Kennedy. The use of these weapons created shots that were heard around the world, and have created an effect that lasts to this day.

In reviewing assassination you cannot ignore the killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his pregnant wife Sophie: two shots that set in course a chain of events that would lead to the First World War, and result in the deaths of millions. Those two simple trigger pulls, taken by Gavrilo Princip on a pleasant June morning in 1914, caused a ripple so vast that it changed the world map. A ripple that even today, almost 100 years later, still travels beyond our sight.

Even before the event, the assassin knows that the killing of high-profile leaders will cause mass effect. This is the purpose of assassination, and its power is felt even stronger in times of peace. Lincoln was killed sat in a theatre, Kennedy in the back of a car as

he waved to the crowd. In such moments of relaxation, and with the presence of civilians, such unexpected violence creates terror.

Mass Effect So what of war? What effect can one killing have when surrounded by blood and carnage on a mass scale? Can an example of a small action with great consequence be found on the field of battle?

We all grew up with the story of 1066: the infamous Battle of Hastings and the legendary tale of the arrow that pierced King Harold’s eye. Although the details of his death are now in question, there is no doubting that the killing of King Harold opened the door for the Norman conquest of Britain and changed our language and culture forever.

When King Richard the Lionheart was slain by a crossbow bolt while laying siege to the French castle at Chalus, the crown was passed

FEATURE | BATTLEFIELD ACTIONS Pegasus Bridge, Normandy, the present day and in 1944 (inset)

maintain their discipline and effectiveness even with loss to high-ranking leadership.

In the Second World War the scale of warfare was unlike anything the world had seen before. Advancements in firearms, tanks, airplanes, ships and artillery brought the potential for destruction to unprecedented levels. So in battles involving hundreds of thousands of men, battles in which millions of rounds are fired from all manner of weapons, can the actions of one man still make a difference? And is it possible to find an example that shows where a single shot affected the end result?

I believe that the answer is yes.

D-Day On 6 June 1944, at 0007 hours, six Horsa Gliders cast off from the Halifax Bombers that had towed them over the English Channel. Silently they descended through the darkness of the Normandy sky. In their bellies they carried men from the 2nd Battalion, Ox and Bucks Light Infantry. Led

by Major John Howard, their task was to launch a coup de main operation to seize intact the two bridges that crossed the Caen Canal and the Orne River.

At 0016 hours the first of the gliders touched down, landing just yards away from the target. With total surprise achieved, the airborne troops burst from the wooden gliders and sped towards the bridges. Within ten minutes both bridges were in British hands.

Quickly the role changed to one of defence.

Within the coming hours a huge force of British paratroopers would be dropped in the

“In battles involving hundreds of thousands of men, battles in which millions of rounds are fired from all manner of weapons, can the actions of one man still make a difference?” on to his brother, John. It was King John’s mistreatment of his subjects that lead to revolt and the creation of the Magna Carta, a charter that formed the foundations of the rights we have today. Were it not for the crossbow bolt, and the infection of the wound that eventually killed Richard, how long would it have taken for these rights to be passed?

But, much like assassination, the killing of a king carries with it an obvious and immediate effect. That is why the shot is taken in the first place. Modern war is different. There are no kings to kill on the battlefield, no politicians or powerful leaders to take aim at. Of course, there is still the chain of command, but modern armies are well-oiled machines, and can more often than not

A single shot from a British PIAT felled a German tank and changed the course of history

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FEATURE | BATTLEFIELD ACTIONS

The swift trigger-pulls that killed both Lincoln and Kennedy had consequences far outweighing the gravity of the original action

surrounding area to the east. These troopers would supply a relief force to the small group at the bridges, but it would take time for them to gather and navigate in the dark.

Far off in the English Channel, Allied ships sailed toward the Normandy coast. They formed the armada that would launch the greatest amphibious assault in history. As the landing craft prepared to move to shore, aerial and naval bombardment would pound the coastal defences. But it would be dawn before landing forces set foot on the beaches.

For Major Howard and his men, the promise of a long night lay ahead. When the German counterattack came, which it most certainly would do, they would have to face it alone.

Organising his defensive positions, Howard learnt that the company supply of Gammon bombs had been lost during the landing, and that only one of the PIAT anti-tank weapons was still working. From the south, the sound of enemy armour was heard approaching.

To the west of the bridges, Lieutenant Dennis Fox had set-up his defences around the T-junction that connected the bridges to the main road. Positioned with Fox was Sgt. ‘Wagger’ Thornton. Thornton carried with him the only working PIAT left available. Positioned as he was on the company’s vulnerable western flank, he listened to the rumble of engines and the squeak of the tracks as the enemy approached.

The PIAT is a very basic weapon. A springloaded design that launched a 2.5lb bomb, it supposedly had an effective range of 100 yards. In truth, most soldiers of the time would half that claim, only willing to fire at 50 yards.

The weapon was painfully slow to reload, and

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a shot fired at the wrong angle would see the projectile bounce harmlessly away from its target. Firing the PIAT not only took skill, but a willingness to wait for the perfect moment.

Much debate has been raised over the identification of the German armour that advanced on the bridges that night. Some say there were three tanks, others only two. Many claim that they were German MkIV Panzers, others that they were converted French tanks.

Some even argue that they were not tanks at all, but armoured half-tracks carrying mounted guns.

That detail is for the historians to argue.

The fact remains that armoured vehicles with heavy weapons would wreak bloody havoc on the lightly-armed airborne troops, clearing a path for the German infantry to move in and retake the bridges. For Sgt. Thornton watching the shape of the metal beast emerge from the darkness, the question of make and model were far from his mind. As he held his aim and felt the pressure of the trigger, his focus came down to one simple fear: don’t miss.

At 50 yards he fired, hitting the lead vehicle dead centre. The PIAT bomb exploded, instantly disabling the vehicle. The main blast ignited the ammunition on board, causing secondary explosions. This unexpected development caused such a terrifying display that the vehicle behind quickly retreated from the scene, reporting back to headquarters that the British forces had 6lb anti-tank guns. This convinced the German commanders that they must wait for daylight before attempting any further movements towards the bridges.

The explosion had a bonus effect. For the paratroopers, mis-dropped and lost in

the Normandy countryside, the fireworks show acted like a beacon. This gave them a reference point, and as such they were able to consolidate their forces and move to their objectives much more quickly.

Aftermath So what was the effect of Sgt. Thornton’s shot? As stated, had the German armour pushed on to the bridges they could have caused a great deal of trouble for the British.

It is also likely that once aware of the threat, and with a reconnaissance completed, further armour would have been sent to the battle.

The delay in the Germans sending further forces allowed the lost British Paratroopers time to get to the bridges, and as such a formidable defensive perimeter was established. By the time the Germans launched an offence later in the day it was too late to dislodge the British, and the use of the bridges was entirely lost to the panzer divisions that were desperate to move north to the invasion beaches.

Any conclusion on what might have been is, of course, speculation, but with the facts available it doesn’t require a leap of faith to draw up a fairly solid outcome. There were thousands of influences that had their effect on the outcome of the day, but the importance of Sgt. Thornton’s shot cannot be denied. Had he missed, the ripples of effect could well have resulted in an open pathway for the German armour moving north. Had they reached the landing area before a bridgehead had been secured, the consequences could have been too terrible to consider.

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KIT BAG | BLANK-FIRING GRENADES

We take a look at some of the top blank-firing offerings from S.W.A.T. Training Devices

A

s airsofters, we love anything that goes ‘bang’ – so it’s good to see an increasing number of blank-firing grenades on the market. In-game, they can be used as distraction devices and to simulate real grenade hits, with various rules relating to

their deployment, both indoor and outdoor, in use at sites around the UK. S.W.A.T. Training Devices is a manufacturer based in north-west England, responsible for some of the most forward-thinking innovations in blank-firing grenades for airsoft and law enforcement. Here we take a look at some of our favourite products in their arsenal…

BFGX M203

BFGX IMPACT GRENADE The device is designed to distract opponents

Much like the standard BFGX, the M203

in CQB/urban games. The screw-out top of the

version is a distraction device – but this one

grenade holds a blank-firing round – supplied

is built in a high-quality, stainless steel shell in

9mm as standard. When the pin is pulled it

an M203 style (though note, it doesn’t actually

primes the device, which when thrown onto

fit into an M203 grenade launcher). Once

a hard surface such as concrete, makes a loud

again, it comes with an adaptor to take a 9mm

‘detonation’ – basically a big bang that

blank firing round, offering a loud bang when

will turn heads and cause chaos! It is a safe alternative to chemical-burn

thrown against a hard surface – and it’s so reliable and realistic that military and law enforcement

pyrotechnics and other such products.

divisions even use it.

PRICE: £63

PRICE: £65

VERSATILE TRAINING

VERSATILE TRAINING

BFG M84X

GRENADE (VTG)

GRENADE (VTG) X VERSION

Modelled on the M84 real-world stun

Designed for military

Recently launched recently and with

full-metal blank firing replica. Taking

and law enforcement

only 50 units available right now, the

a 9mm round as standard, it has

scenarios, and with

VTG X is a full-metal version of the

detonators on each end of the body,

great utility in airsoft,

popular VTG. It is fully compatible

meaning it will go off however it

the VTG is a realistic

with standard VTG components, and

lands. It comes in a nice shiny alloy as

blank firing grenade

comes in full stainless steel, with a

standard, plus black, olive drab or tan

constructed with

titanium version also available.

block colours.

stainless steel internals

PRICE: From £180

PRICE: £85

and a high-grade,

grenade, the BFG M84X is a working,

easy-grip polymer shell.

Coming as standard with a 9mm adaptor, the device is also available with several other charge sizes, and comes in a range of colours, plus a ‘photo luminescent’ version that glows in the dark.

PRICE: Block colours from £95; photo luminescent £99

INFORMATION

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For more information on S.W.A.T. Training Devices products, check out www.blankfiringgrenade.co.uk

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w

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

THE ARMOURY | M2000 SNIPER RIFLE

A G&G PM5-A4 RTB O

ur competition prize this issue is a G&G PM5-A4 RTB, which comes courtesy of the guys over at Land Warrior Airsoft.

If you’re after a high-end MP5 replica then G&G’s system comes pretty well recommended, and for over £300 you can expect quality. The good news is that this rifle can be yours for nothing – simply spot the five differences between the images below and let us know your answer, via either post or email.

Name _____________________________________ Address____________________________________ __________________________________________

WORTH OVER

£300

Postcode ___________________________________ Telephone __________________________________ Email _____________________________________

Post your entry to: G&G PM5-A4 RTB competition, Airsoft Action, Blaze Publishing, Lawrence House, Morrell Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV32 5SZ. Or, email your entries to competition@blazepublishing.co.uk, quoting ‘G&G PM5-A4 RTB competition’ in the headline. Entries received after October 12 will not be valid.

One entry per household. The winner will be the first name pulled from the editor’s hat.

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

n

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war games Airsoft tournaments are big talking point at the moment – and Ioan ‘Iggy’ Roberts was on hand to check out the latest Skirmish Cup down in Essex…

I

recently had the pleasure of returning to Skirmish Airsoft Billericay to cover an annual cup event unbeknownst to many in the UK airsoft community. This tournament – known as the Skirmish Cup – is very popular in the Essex area, attracting teams from all over to prove their skills.

This was the third annual Skirmish Cup, and 12 six-man teams turned up, all gunning for the first-, second- and thirdplace plaques – but only the team in first place would get its team name engraved on the base of the trophy.

Also up for grabs was a Rifleman’s Cup award, usually granted to a team

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of younger players that are fairly new to airsoft, but who make a considerable contribution to the day. This is also known as the Young Gun team award.

The bulk of the tournament consisted of team v team manhunt games, featuring 10 of the 12 teams for each round. Each team started at different locations around the site and had one simple objective: seek and shoot as many of the other teams’ players as possible.

Every player carried a conventional playing card, and if hit they had to give up their card to the person that shot them.

Each card was worth one point. The team with the most cards at the end of each

round was the winner. The team with the most points at the end of the day won the tournament. Simple.

For each round there were two teams that sat out, alternating with each round.

These two teams were put through a different tournament running parallel to the main rounds – a timed pistol run.

The pistol run had five different stages, each varying in difficulty, designed to test the players’ pistol-shooting ability in a different manner. Every player had to complete the run independently, successfully shooting the cow-bell to finish before the next team member could start the run. The clock stopped

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EVENT REPORT | SKIRMISH CUP

once the last team member shot the cow-bell.

At each of the stages, the player had to fire three shots at the target. Every stage was undertaken using a different shooting stance. These included firing while on the move, firing one-handed in the kneeling position, firing two-handed while standing, firing one-handed while moving and firing two-handed while crouching. All this had to be done while sprinting from stage to stage, then finally sprinting to the end-line and shooting the cow-bell.

Each target was scored. The bullseye was five points and each consecutive ring was one point less, ending with one point for the outer ring. Anything that was outside of the outer ring was not scored.

The time limit for the whole team to complete the run was seven minutes.

Every 10 seconds over that time a point was deducted from the overall score.

Points were also deducted for firing at any of the targets more than three times, or firing from outside the marked area.

One point could also be deducted if the team used the marshal’s pistol instead of refilling their own magazines with ammo and gas.

The scores from each run were added

up and contributed to the overall team score at the end of the day. It was possible for a team to get 20 valuable points on the pistol run. This created a good opportunity for teams to leap up the scoreboard. The pistol run also provided a good break from the main tournament – a refreshing, different challenge.

The Echo Troop team came third, Rogue Angels secured second place, and the trophy went to overall champions ROSR. I got the chance to talk to some of the players to get their opinion of the day. The first team I spoke to was a north London team called L.A.W. “The competitive element made the day far more intense. We took the game more seriously because of what was at stake – and the short rounds meant much faster gameplay was possible, due to more breaks enabling us to hydrate and rearm.” When I asked them what their plan was, they responded: “It’s simple. We have two objectives: firstly to win, and secondly to cause havoc in the games.”

The team was very keen on visiting again, complimented the site staff on their professionalism, and said it was a “quality day.”

Another London team called White Eagle Airsoft League (WEAL), which included one of the many girls playing in the tournament, said: “It was a great day; we were able to test our tactics and accuracy all for an attractive price.” Team member Magdalena said: “I am glad to see other women skirmishing and giving this great sport a good go.”

There has been much debate, including in this magazine, about tournaments in airsoft. Based on my experience of the third annual Skirmish Cup, I’d say there is great potential so long as players approach it with the right attitude. Maybe competitions like this could expand to involve more of the country – but either way I look forward to next year’s Skirmish Cup.

INFORMATION & PRICES Skirmish Airsoft Billericay LOCATION: Skirmish Wood, Outwood Farm Road, Billericay, Essex, CM11 2TX TEL: 01277 65777 EMAIL: info@airsoft-billericay.co.uk WEB: www.airsoft-billericay.co.uk PRICES: £17 walk-on; £15 for members.

Rentals available.

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21/08/2013 14:25

INSIDE: PLATOON STORES It’s a major player on the Kent airsoft scene, so Les Lee takes a trip down to Platoon Stores to find out more about this top retailer

S

tepping into Rochester’s Platoon Stores, I was struck by the amount of quality gear on display. I got that warm, fuzzy feeling that always comes when you find yourself in a real Aladdin’s cave of airsoft wonders – our version of a military quartermaster zone. Even those with the tightest purse strings would have a tough time resisting the temptation to spend money on the host of tactical goodies here – and you won’t find cheap knock-offs or generic products of questionable origin.

Peter Everett, director, founded Platoon Stores in 2006 in a 700sq/ft shop unit, but swiftly made two further premises moves when he realised demand far exceeded his existing stock levels. Now he is well established in Rochester high street in what was a former Midland Bank branch – and

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Platoon Stores stocks everything from tent pegs to tracer rounds

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INSIDE AIRSOFT | PLATOON STORES it’s a very accessible location, rather than holed away on an industrial estate. This is double the capacity of his original shop, and security measures are in place to protect not only airsoft guns, but also the Section One firearms on sale. It’s certainly the most heavily fortified airsoft store I’ve ever come across!

The premises have a bright, airy atmosphere, and to say that this is one of the tidiest of shops I have visited would be an understatement. The layout is customer friendly, products are well displayed and accessible, and the approachable and very competent staff will soon put you at ease with their welcoming demeanour and clear intent to listen to your needs. They will either stick with you to offer advice while you’re browsing or allow you some private time to drool over the merchandise.

While mooching around Platoon Stores I got talking to one of the shop managers, Jim, who filled me in on their history: “Platoon Stores was founded as a high street retailer, and we pride ourselves on having the personal touch you just don’t get with purely online retail. People of all ages can come into our shop to speak to us, see what products we have, and get the best advice.

“In terms of airsoft gear, our ethos is simple – we take it, we test it, we sell it. People these days want increasingly reliable and durable kit, so we make sure that everything we stock has come from a reputable UK wholesaler or importer, and that everything ticks the right boxes in terms of quality, and, of course, RoHS compliance. We work closely with good suppliers so that the customer isn’t penalised at the end for a duff product.”

All equipment is put through rigorous testing – and if it isn’t up to scratch, it won’t be on the shelves

Indeed, the guys at Platoon Stores don’t take manufacturers’ claims at face value – they put all the equipment they sell through a rigorous testing phase, and if the quality is not 100 per cent fit for purpose then it won’t be sold.

“We don’t import direct from China, because the clone market is not something we’re interested in – and people these days need reliable kit.”

“At the moment we’re seeing gas blowback rifles having a bit of a wake up call. They offer a great potential for simulated realism” www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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The staff at Platoon Stores are all airsofters, and where quality is concerned they know what counts

Indeed, all the staff are regular players, so they can’t be having equipment failures out in the field, as it wouldn’t reflect well on the shop’s reputation for selling only quality gear.

It’s fair to say that the old cliché of ‘failure isn’t an option’ is true for these guys.

There were plenty of customers busily browsing the shelves on my visit – and I was keen to find out what the typical Platoon Stores shopper walks away with.

“Well, on the airsoft side, people tend to spend between £30 and £75 on a typical purchase – stocking up on consumables.

Then beyond that, we’ve always been a specialist in Magpul PTS rifles, which attract a lot of attention, though we’re always

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trying out different brands to find out what’s best, and the least problematic from a quality point of view.”

Given that Platoon Stores is a registered firearms dealer, it’s safe to say that their typical customer base extends beyond the usual airsoft crowd. “That’s one of the benefits of having our feet in lots of different worlds,” said Jim. “We serve the airsoft crowd, the cadets, clay pigeon shooters – and we also get plenty of interest from guys in the armed forces. We’re right on the doorstep of the Royal Engineers, and those guys find airsoft a very fun thing to do in their off-time. Overall, the different people we attract allow us to act as a kind of hub in

the Kent area, which is certainly what we try to achieve with our regular in-store events.”

Now that airsoft has become so popular, players are always looking for something special, a little different than the typical Sunday skirmish – so the upsurge in weekenders or 24-hour games has been the natural course for our sport to follow.

As a consequence, we always need more kit, because a gun, rig and some camo just won’t cover it on longer games – and this is where Platoon Stores shines. The shop can supply everything from a tent peg to tracer rounds, outdoors utensils, and a host of other items to make yourself comfortable in the field, and prepared for anything the elements can throw at you. They usually manage to turn a mail order purchase around on the same day, too – if ordered early and in stock – making Platoon Stores very much a one-stop shop for all your airsoft needs.

So how do the guys from Platoon Stores see the future of airsoft retail? “Well, we’re seeing more people doing weekend events – and we work quite closely with the guys at the UCAP Sandpit site, which is an intensive experience where people want top quality kit. Some guys even drove across from Denmark recently, and stopped off at our shop first as they’d heard about it. We need to make sure we keep catering to players like that, who are dedicated and want the best kit available.”

Keeping the best RIFs in stock is also an integral part of Platoon Stores’ plans for the future. “At the moment we’re seeing gas blowback rifles having a bit of a wake up call.

They offer a great potential for simulated realism, and with CO2 coming in, that presents a system that will allow people to use their GBBs all year round – not just for two months of the year.”

Whatever direction airsoft takes, and whatever future trends emerge, you can be sure the Platoon Stores will adapt to meet demands. It’s already an exciting outlet for airsoft gear in the Kent area – and looks set to continue on that path as long as people are still out in the field enjoying this awesome hobby.

INFORMATION Platoon Stores LOCATION: 70 High Street, Rochester, Kent, ME1 1JZ WEB: www.platoonstores.co.uk TEL: 01634 829063

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war and peace revival 2013 Will Fowler reports back from the War and Peace Revival 2013 – the huge, world-famous display of militaria and re-enactment

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he War and Peace Revival, held for the first time this year from July 17 to 21, is a larger version of the War and Peace Show that has been held in Kent for 30 years. The event, which is arguably the world’s biggest military vehicle expo, started in 1982 as a small club day run by the Invicta Military Vehicle Preservation Society (IMPS), featuring just 100 vehicles. It now attracts thousands of visitors with its displays of military vehicles, battle re-enactments, and the rare opportunity to meet veterans of WWII and other campaigns.

The venue for this new incarnation of the much-loved show is Folkestone Racecourse – about which organiser Rex

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Cadman said: “It couldn’t be a better fit due to the amazing history of both the racecourse – or RAF Westenhanger, as it used to be known – and this area of Kent.”

Indeed, Folkestone Racecourse was the site of an early flying display back in 1910 – and during the Blitz of 1940-41 it was used as a decoy airfield with dummy aircraft placed around to give it the appearance of an operational fighter base.

Then, in April 1944, No. 660 Squadron, an army cooperation squadron of the Royal Air Force, flew into the base, now called RAF Westenhanger. The squadron, based in a tented camp, operated Auster Mark IV single-engine liaison aircrafts and used

the racecourse to train with local army units. Leaving in July 1944, the squadron served in north-west Europe and was disbanded in May 1946.

So Folkstone Racecourse is already steeped in history – and given that 2013 is the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, and the 50th anniversary of the end of national service, the War and Peace Revival 2013 was a significant event indeed. Veterans of the Korean War turned out in uniform, along with those who served in WWII. The Vintage Village incorporated living history groups, dioramas and individual displays depicting civilian life from 1930 to 1960 in a dedicated area showing what life was

EVENT REPORT | WAR AND PEACE REVIVAL ambulances and bicycles, motorcycles, nearly 500 Jeeps, light, medium and heavy vehicles, artillery wheeled armour and tracked armoured vehicles.

From the Rex and Rod Cadman War and Peace collection were exact scale replicas of a Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109 with correctly uniformed ground crews and other personnel.

There were 120 living history displays that had a very diverse range, from both World Wars right up to Operation Granby and Telic – the Gulf Wars. I confess that I found it slightly disconcerting to discover that I had become ‘history’ when I saw the first Operation Granby display a few years ago. The re-enactors were equally disconcerted when I asked them if they could ‘mask in nine’ – the time we were allowed to don a respirator in the event of an Iraqi chemical attack!

A measure of the show’s success was that, over the five days, in excess of 100,000 passed through the gates.

Next year, the War and Peace Revival will take place on 16-20 July, and will be packed with memorable dates, since 2014 marks 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War, the 75th anniversary of the outbreak of WWII, and, of course, the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

like on the battlefields and away from the barracks. Home Front re-enactors and demonstrators showed the hardships endured by both men and women left behind, and civilian vehicles, peace-time activities and re-enactors combined to recreate a 20th century social backdrop.

There were nearly 400 stalls selling a vast range of historic and contemporary uniforms, load-carrying equipment, books, and vehicle components. The War and Peace Revival is one of those events that you attend planning to make a few select purchases, only to find several more ‘must have’ items – and before you know it, you’ve emptied your wallet.

For those who intended to make a long stay there were camping areas – and perhaps the most convenient feature of the show was its accessibility by rail, Westenhanger railway station being about five minutes walk away.

Given the site’s former use, it is well equipped with bars and restaurants, dubbed for this show the Battle of Britain Carvery, Victorian Bar and Grill, Spitfire Tea Rooms and the Jazz Bar. Entertainment in the V Marquee featured singers, entertainers, big bands, dancers and beautiful burlesque performers.

For airsofters, there was ample opportunity to buy good-quality, authentic kit and uniforms that will look nicely true to history when you are crawling through the dirt on a Sunday skirmish or MilSim. There were a couple of old friends at the show, including Skirmish Airsoft, and the team from Airsoft World, who had made the long haul down from their base in Crossgates, Fife.

For vehicle enthusiasts, there was plenty to chose from, with classes ranging from amphibious vehicles such as a VW Schwimmwagen through to

The War and Peace Revival 2014 will take place 16-20 July. For more information visit www.thewarandpeacerevival.co.uk

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BOOK REVIEW | SABRE SIX: FILE 51

SABRE SIX: FILE 51 Called ‘a fantastic debut novel’ by Sunday Times best-selling author Phil Campion, Nige was keen to see if Jamie Fineran’s Sabre Six: File 51 lived up to its billing

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s editor of Airsoft Action a good proportion of my time is taken up with reading so, when it comes to relaxing, the last thing I usually want to do is read some more. However, when an unsolicited email arrived at the office offering to send me a copy of ‘one of the best SAS sniper action books of 2013’, I have to say that I was intrigued. The author, Jamie Fineran, served with the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, the same regiment as AA contributor Dan Mills (who wrote Sniper

One), so I assumed it would be more of the same. Just goes to show you should never assume anything!

Sabre Six: File 51 is a work of fiction and introduces us to Michael Fox, an ex-B Squadron, 22 SAS soldier now working as a

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jamie Fineran is a former soldier with the Second Battalion, the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment and went through selection with reserve SAS. He started writing back in 1995, when he was asked by his lieutenant to write up reports for the patrol in Northern Ireland. Now, some years later, Fineran’s debut novel is a military-based fiction book.

Jamie is married and lives on the Isle of Wight with one child and a dog called Griffer.

mercenary who, on meeting an old Regiment friend who asks him for a favour, is only too pleased to oblige and ends up working for the British Anti-Terror Agency (Sabre Six). The storyline is bang up to date and kicks off in Gare du Nord Station in Paris, followed by a very violent encounter in London. After some historical scene-setting the pace picks up to almost fever pitch as Fox and his team head off to Afghanistan, by way of the USA and Pakistan, to locate and eliminate top al-Qaida member, Mohammed Santé Janjev.

Michael was a devoted husband and father and when he learns that the secondary target is the man who murdered his wife, things start to get very personal indeed. The file reference for the order to deploy was number 51 – and although it goes according to plan at the start, as the mission proceeds things start to unravel and Fox’s team find themselves alone, massively outnumbered and being hunted down deep in enemy territory.

Although the book is a work of fiction, at times it is like reading a diary of personal experiences, which only someone who had ‘been there, seen it, done that’ could convey.

If I had to describe Fineran’s style of writing, I would probably say ‘flat out, from the heart’ – and that is how Sabre Six: File 51 reads.

I never judge a book until I have finished it and I use two simple yardsticks: how easy was it to put down and did it keep me occupied while reading? Sabre Six: File 51 stole a few hours of my life!

Although it seemed a little disjointed in places, and on a couple of occasions I had to flick back to remind me how I got to where I was, the very fact that I had to do so meant I was ‘there’, in the story. The book is described as a ‘fast-paced action thriller’ on the cover and that is exactly what it is.

I really enjoyed it and, if I was going away on holiday this year, it would most definitely be the sort of book I would take with me!

www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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RAW is an airsoft site chock-full of awesome features – James Badura heads down to Essex to check them out

all out raw T

he appropriately named RAW (standing for Run Around the Woods) is an airsoft site that began as a paintball venue run by diehard fanatics – and that is still the case today. The guys at RAW continue to make improvements to site, and the latest feature to be added is a Citroen Van that has been converted into a downed helicopter – just one indication of how they try to spice up gameplay.

The site also boasts a two-story church surrounded by multiple buildings, one of which is a fort that holds an impressive Scud missile carrier replica

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at its centre, and has guard towers at all four corners.

A day at RAW starts with everyone’s arrival between 08.30 and 09.00.

Players are greeted and signed in at the entrance, their kit is loaded into two vans, and then they are taxied over to the site itself on a wagon pulled along by a tractor. The safe zone is fully covered and I would guess is capable of housing 75+ players comfortably, and has fully plumped toilets and sinks – a luxury for any airsoft site, as I’m sure you’ll know. Everyone then has until 10.00 to get all their mags loaded

and guns chrono-ed.

At 09.55 a horn sounds and everyone is gathered in for the safety briefing on the dos and don’ts of the site. On my visit, this was a short presentation from the site operator, Roy, and as such the players were able to get the first game swiftly underway.

The first game was an attack-anddefend scenario based around the fort area and Scud. I followed the yellow team on their assault. They quickly fought their way to the perimeter of the fort, so I ducked through the wall of BBs shouting, “camera man coming

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SITE REVIEW SITE REVIEW | THE MANOR | RAW

in!” to get some snaps. It wasn’t long before bangs were going off and I was bouncing around trying not to reveal any players’ positions. The opposing team was stacking up on the outer wall, and then in came the BFGs. A 12-gauge blank landed right in between my legs!

Several players stormed in the front, four getting shot out as they entered; their opponents had positioned themselves well. The game soon ended and was turned around. I stuck with the team that was attacking first, who were now defending with great

organisation. The yellows lasted out longer in the end, mainly by displaying solid teamwork, as they had done in their attack.

The second game was a fall back game using all of the features the site has on offer. Players start at the back of the trench, bunker and hill system, and work their way through the woodland, where there are strategically placed bunkers to aid the defending team.

They then go on to a patch of woodland in the church complex, which links onto the front of the trench system, close to which is the finishing point.

The gameplay by both teams was extremely good. In particular, the two guys dressed in WWII German loadouts held their own in the church area for a good 20 minutes.

Lunch followed this action-packed game, a choice between sausage and chips or a mild chili, and came included in the walk-on fee. The chilli is one of the best I’ve had in a long while, which is saying something.

RAW offers a feature-laden site run with extreme professionalism and pride. The landowner allows the use of grenades such as MK9s and 12-gauge blanks, which is a rarity nowadays. A number of players mentioned this and expressed their love for loud pyrotechnics on the day.

Many commented on the variety of both natural and man-made cover.

Most times, when regulars come back, there’s a new feature to play, whether it be a building, helicopter or Scud.

The general vibe that I gleaned from visitors is that they received a genuinely fun and great day, which doesn’t break the wallet either. A mere £25 covers your walk-on fee and your lunch and is, in my opinion, great value for money.

While the site is run by airsofters for airsofters, it doesn’t turn its back on newcomers. All participants are encouraged throughout the day by player marshals, and there are a limited number of rental guns available for those who don’t play regularly enough to make it worth them owning their own. Around 40-50 players undertake the airsoft experience each day at RAW, and I really enjoyed my time there, despite being with a camera and not a gun. I will definitely be returning to the ground as a player soon.

INFORMATION & PRICES RAW LOCATION: Pilcox Hall ln, Tendring, Essex, C016 0DJ TEL: 07771927934 WEB: www.runaroundthewoods.com; www.paintballextreme.co.uk PRICE: £25 walk-on fee; £40 with rental OPENING TIMES: First Sunday of each month

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

AIRSOFT ASYLUM

North Lanarksire, ML7 5 www.airsoftasylum.webs.com

ALPHA ELITE GAMING

ARENA AIRSOFT

AMAZON EVENTS

AWA HERTS

AMBUSH ADVENTURES – CHOBHAM

BARNSLEY AIRSOFT

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

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

AIRSOFT COMMANDOS ABSOLUTE AIRSOFT

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

Sutton, near Ferrybridge 07723 061386 andyace@ntlworld.com

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

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

AIRSOFT KGB ACE AIRSOFT WAR GAMES

Holbrook Coppice, Buidwas Bank (A4169), Buildwas, Telford, Shropshire, TF8 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

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

AIRSOFT SKIRMISH

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

AIRSOFT SKIRMISH CQB

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

ALL ARMS AIRSOFT

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

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October 2013

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

AMBUSH ADVENTURES – SOUTHAMPTON

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

APOCALYPSE AIRSOFT

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

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

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

Grasscroft Wood, Barlow Lees Lane, Dronfield, S18 7UR www.blackdagger-airsoft.co.uk

BLUESTREAK AIRSOFT

Westcott Venture Park, Westcott, Aylesbury, HP18 0XB 01926 658600 www.bluestreak-airsoft.co.uk

BRAVO 2-2 AIRSOFT

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

BRISTOL AIRSOFT

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

BRIT-TAC AIRSOFT

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

BUNKER 51

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

C3 TACTICAL

CERBERUS AIRSOFT SHEFFIELD WOODLAND

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

CHESTERFIELD IMPERIAL AIRSOFT Brimington Chesterfield S43 1DQ www.cia-airsoft.co.uk

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

COMBAT ACTION GAMES

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

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

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

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

CONTACT! FIGHT SCHOOL

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE COMPLEX

COOL UNDER FIRE

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

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE SANDPIT

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

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - RIVOCK EDGE

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

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

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

CORNWALL AIRSOFT ASSAULT

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

CUMBRIA AIRSOFT

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

DELTA TEAM 3

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

DOGS OF WAR

FIREBALL SQUADRON

DRAGON’S LAIR

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

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

Leek, ST13 8 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com

DRAGON VALLEY AIRSOFT

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

ELITE ACTION GAMES – DORKING

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

ELITE ACTION GAMES – EPSOM

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

ELITE ACTION GAMES – WORTHING

Worthing, BN13 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.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

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

EXPERIENCE AIRSOFT

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

FIREFIGHT COMBAT SIMULATIONS

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

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

FIFE WARGAMES

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

GROUND ZERO WOODLAND

FINMERE AIRSOFT

FREE FIRE ZONE

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

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

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

www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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SITE DIRECTORY Find somewhere to be this weekend…

LAC SITE 5

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

LINDSEY AIRSOFT

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

MATLOCK COMBAT GAMES

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

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

GRANGE FARM AIRSOFT

Leicester, LE9 9FP www.gingerliberationfront.com

GREENZONE COMBAT

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

GUN HO AIRSOFT

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

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

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

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HILTON PARK AIRSOFT

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

HOMELAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT

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

MAW

LAC SITE 2

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

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

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

MIA

PATHFINDER GROUP AIRSOFT MILITARY SIMULATION

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

MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

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

MILSIM UK

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

NCIS AIRSOFT

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

NOMAD AIRSOFT

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

NORTHERN ALLIANCE AIRSOFT

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

LAC SITE 3

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

NTAC

OP-TACTICAL UK – TEAN-OPS

LAC SITE 1

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

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

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

LAND WARRIOR AIRSOFT

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

NSC AIRSOFT

NORTHFLEET CQB

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

Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4JT 07964 990831 www.op-tac.co.uk

Former RAF Camp Sopley/ Merryfield Park, Hants, BH23 02380 899369

PHOENIX AIRSOFT

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

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

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

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

SECTION 8 AIRSOFT

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

SECTION 8 AIRSOFT

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

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 07766 770830 www.southdownairsoft.com

SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – BLOXWORTH Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7EU 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk

SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – THE ROCK Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EG 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk

STIRLING AIRSOFT

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

STORMFORCE AIRSOFT

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

SW WAR GAMES – TREGANTLE FORT

UCAP AIRSOFT

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

UCAP GREEN OPS

S.W.A.T. AIRSOFT

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

Boathouse lane, South Wirral Cheshire CH64 3TB www.swatairsoft.eu 07703 177756

UCAP SANDPIT

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

TA EVENTS

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

SW WAR GAMES – SCRAESDON FORT

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

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – FAWKHAM

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

TACTICAL WALES AIRSOFT

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

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – LIMPSFIELD

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

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

SUSSEX AIRSOFT

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

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

URBAN6AIRSOFT – ZONE 13

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

TASK FORCE SKIRMISH

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

URBAN6AIRSOFT – THE BLOCK Wood Street, Butron-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 £AB www.urban6airsoft.com

THE DESERTERS AIRSOFT Redford, DD11 07751 878175 www.thedeserters.co.uk

URBAN ASSAULT

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

THE EX SITE

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

THE WARGAMES CENTRE

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

VIKING AIRSOFT

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

WARMINSTER AIRSOFT

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

XSITE AIRSOFT OUTPOST TROJAN AIRSOFT

Macclesfield, SK10 4SZ 07921 837658 www.trojan-airsoft.com

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

XSITE AIRSOFT – LANE END Email michaelh@ blazepublishing.co.uk to add or change a site listing

High Wycombe, HP14 3NP 01494 881430

www.airsoftactionmagazine.com

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DEALER LISTINGS

ADVERTISERS INDEX Land warrior airsoft ...................................................................................... 2 Airsoft world ................................................................................................... 3 Red Wolf.......................................................................................................... 9 Pro airsoft supplies ................................................................................. 11, 92 AirsoftZone.................................................................................................... 15 Wolf Armouries ............................................................................................. 26 UK Tactical .................................................................................................... 31 Thatchreed .................................................................................................... 34 Just BB’s Gun ................................................................................................ 43 Badger Tac .................................................................................................... 43 Silvermans .................................................................................................... 44 Military 1st.................................................................................................... 44 Soldier of Fortune .......................................................................................... 49 Surplus Stores .............................................................................................. 49 No VAT ......................................................................................................... 49 Platoon Stores................................................................................................ 55 Goliath ........................................................................................................... 55 Exertus Global ............................................................................................... 58 NRG CQB ....................................................................................................... 58 Dragon Valley Airsoft .................................................................................... 58 Tactical Airsoft Ltd ........................................................................................ 58 SWAT .......................................................................................................... 58 Thomas Jacks ............................................................................................... 63 Flecktarn ....................................................................................................... 79 Gunman......................................................................................................... 79 Edgar Brothers TLSFx ................................................................................... 91

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