THE Airsoft Magazine
AIRSOFT ACTION
IN W .E.T H M G & T
G WOR S T E TARG
£325
OPERATION: GRAVITY 42-HOUR MILSIM GAME
PTS MASADA CQB We check out the Find out how to strip down Training weapon quality bolt-action WWII replica the real-steel carbine for AEG money? JUNE 2013
ASG 1911 ❱ DEBATE: BIO BBS ❱ WWII MILSIM ❱ 24-HR RATION PACKS ❱ UPGRADES AA_001_Cover_Rev2_MH.indd 1
JUNE 2013 - £4.35
ON TEST: G&D/ CELCIUS M4 DTW
9 772047 348025
FEATURE: C8 STRIP-DOWN
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ON TEST: G&G G980
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CONTENTS AIRSOFT ACTION – JUNE 2013
6 8 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 Cover photograph: Spectre Airsoft Media
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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
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© 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.
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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 All the latest headlines from the global airsoft scene
COMPETITION Win one of two sets of G&G MET targets worth £325
G&G G980 Jay Slater checks out this bolt-action, spring-powered K98 replica
PTS MASADA CQB Another PTS product, the Masada CQB, gets the onceover from Ratty
THE LAST BULLET Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey reports back from the latest event in Gunman’s WWII saga
LAYING DOWN THE LAW ASG has a new 1911 replica out – the STI International Lawman. Scott Allan finds out more
GOING GREEN In his debate column this month, Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey looks at the pros and cons of biodegradable BBs
G&D/CELCIUS M4 DTW Can this M4 really give you training weapon quality for AEG money?
OPERATION GRAVITY Oscar Plummer is in Hampshire for a 42hour MilSim game at a British Army training facility
THE RAT PACK Find out what British, US and French soldiers have to enjoy – or perhaps endure – in their ration packs
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OPERATION GREY SPEAR This epic Scottish MilSim gets Scott’s seal of approval
SUBSCRIBE Subscribe to Airsoft Action and save a wad of cash
CANADIAN CARBINE Dan Mills shows you how to strip down the Canadian C8 rifle
SAFE HARBOUR The platoon harbour is an essential defensive position, and Billy Basics explains how it works
SPRINGING THE TRAP Pro-Tact’s Andy Nightingale examines ambush techniques
CHEMICAL WARFARE: PART II The second part of Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey’s series on NBC kit
STARCRAFT 2: HEART OF THE SWARM The latest Starcraft game is here. Alex Wharton has his say
EASTERN PROMISES Two new upgrades from Airsoft Systems – the ASCU and the Hop-Up Unit – go on test
G&G M.E.T UNITS To tie in with our competition, Andy Nightingale tries out these cool fun-gunning gadgets
ZETA LABS MOSIN-NAGANT This Soviet sniper rifle gets a dusting down from Jay Slater
GOING PRO Mike Hine pays a visit to Pro Airsoft Supplies down in London
OPERATION BLOODBATH The odds are stacked against Iggy, as he checks out a game at Welsh site OTT Adventures
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
ALEX WHARTON
As a self-professed big-time geek, our video game expert Alex is a massive airsoft fan. He’s been playing the sport for over six years now, and just can’t get enough
ANDY NIGHTINGALE
Andy has seen active service around the world – and now runs Pro-Tact, a not-for-profit group providing tactical training for the airsoft community and private security forces
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
JAY SLATER
Jay fell in love with airsoft not so long ago and has too many guns. An active member of the South London airsoft scene, Jay is also a publisher of military and history books
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
IAN ‘RATTY’ ARMITAGE
Ratty has been involved in airsoft since the mid-90s, and has seen the sport grow over the last 20 years. He fondly remembers the prehealth and safety days!
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
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few years ago – quite a few years ago, actually! – I was involved in a certain other force-on-force combat game (the one where they shoot pellets of paint at each other), running a very substantial operation. We had shops and sites, both in the UK and abroad and were involved in just about every aspect of the game. We imported thousands of guns, sold in the region of two million paintballs a week and manufactured all sorts of spares and accessories; we even designed and built our own range of guns. Our sites were busy, too, with most putting at least 100-120 players through both days of the weekend. In short, times were good! But let’s put that into some kind of perspective... Over the last couple of months, I have noticed a subtle but discernable change in pace. The whole airsoft community seems to be coming out of hibernation, like some big ole grizzly at the end of a long winter, shaking itself down and limbering up for a spring and summer of hunting. Speaking to sites, retailers, distributors and players, the majority have said pretty much the same thing: airsoft growth seems to be accelerating. More than one site has told me of ever-increasing numbers, with some having to set up marquees to accommodate the additional players. It wasn’t so long ago that 20 or 30 players was seen to be a good number, now the ‘norm’ seems to be about 60, with some sites reporting in excess of 100 players at every game. Mid-week airsoft is also becoming more popular, and retailers and distributors alike are reporting increased sales. In short, times are good – and don’t forget, according to our Lords and Masters, we are still in times of austerity. Maybe we have found the way out of recession – play airsoft! Here’s a thought... instead of Prime Minister’s questions, maybe Parliament should get their ministerial butts down to their local airsoft site. Personally I’d love to see Miliband and Cameron stop the school boy bickering and do something positive for a change – like shooting each other! My money would be on Boris, or maybe Nigel Farage... Have a great month and watch out for roly-poly MPs waddling through the woods. See you out there. Nige
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AIRSOFT NEWS
KRISS AND KWA SPLIT KRISS Arms, the Swiss firearms manufacturer, has announced the termination of its exclusive licensing agreement with KWA. This affects all current and future KRISS airsoft products, including the popular KWA KRISS Vector (pictured) launched earlier this year – which we brought you a review of back in the February issue of Airsoft Action.
KRISS has also announced that it will be pursuing and taking legal action against any company that infringes their patents and trademarks. In addition, KRISS will be looking for new partners in the airsoft industry ‘to market its current and upcoming airsoft products’. We can only speculate at this stage what precipitated the breakdown in relationship
WE HAVE A WINNER Congratulations to Aidan Finnegan, who has been drawn as the winner of the competition prize for our April issue: a Black Ops AKM 13 worth a whopping £625. You’re a lucky man, Aidan – and we’ll be in touch shortly to arrange for collection. This month, we have two sets of G&G M.E.T electronic targets to give away, worth a combined £325. To be in with a shout of being one of two lucky winners of these prizes, simply turn to page 8 and have a go! As always, entry is free.
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between KWA and KRISS – but it sounds as if the Swiss company is looking to make a new agreement with one or more business partners to manufacture licensed airsoft replicas of the famous firearms. Airsoft Action will bring you more as soon as we know the details. For more information on KRISS products, visit www.kriss-arms.com
UP THE LADDER G&G has launched a new set of ladder rails, containing four individual panels designed to protect your AEG’s rail while making the weapon easier to grip. The rails are available in black, green and tan, and will retail at around £8. For more information, visit www.guay2.com
AIRSOFT | NEWS
LAND WARRIOR DROPS ICS
SIX YEARS FOR 4X4
Edinburgh-based retailer Land Warrior Airsoft has withdrawn as a stockist of ICS products. Managing director Scott Allan has stated that ICS asked LWA to buy ICS products from a competitor in the airsoft retail sector, which LWA felt would weaken their position within market, reduce the speed at which ICS products were available, and increase costs. He released the following statement: “LWA has received very little technical back-up from ICS in terms of warranties, and dealing with problematic brand new rifles. LWA repaired faulty ICS items at its own cost in the past – and we do not believe how introducing an additional step in the supply chain will improve this. ICS has continually questioned LWA’s marketing and sales tactics, yet has been unwilling to assist us with UKspecific ideas.” He added that LWA would continue to honour warranties with existing customers, but will not cover any work on non-LWA-purchased ICS rifles. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ LandWarriorAirsoft
Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall has announced that it will be offering a sixyear warranty on all Steed pick-up trucks purchased before 30 June. The extended warranty comprises the standard, three-year warranty, plus a further threeyear/125,000 mile warranty provided by Great Motor – the UK distributors. Back in the March issue of Airsoft Action, Ratty brought you a full review of the Great Wall Steed SE 4x4. His test model (pictured) was wrapped in Realtree camouflaged vinyl – and he
CONGRATULATIONS
LEVEL UP
Land Warrior Airsoft regulars Scott Suttie and Jacqui Waugh recently celebrated their engagement with a photo shoot at Land Warrior’s gaming site. All of us at Airsoft Action offer our congratulations to the happy couple, and wish them all the best for the future.
The British Army already uses Sportsmatch scope rings – and now the Parachute Regiment has started using Sportsmatch’s spirit level kits to improve the accuracy of their rifles. The SP3 spirit level, which attaches to Sportmatch’s
found it superb for airsoft purposes, whether you want to help set up for an event, cart gear around, or cram your teammates in. The entry level Steed S model retails at just £13,998, making it the most affordable 4x4 on the UK market. It features 16-inch alloy wheels, daytime running lights, remote central locking, a USB/MP3-compatible CD player and radio with Bluetooth connectivity, and much more. For more information, visit www.greatwallmotor.co.uk
mounts, has a swing-out design, and is easy to fit and use, with the ability to help counteract cant angle – therefore improving your accuracy. Real steel enthusiasts will want to check this out. For £36, you can’t go far wrong either. For more information, visit www.sportsmatch-uk.com
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WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...
G&G M.E.T TARGETS
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or this month’s free-to-enter competition, we have two sets of G&G M.E.Ts – or Multifunctional Electronic Targets – to give away to two lucky winners. Each set is worth £162.50, and contains five of the nifty little devices. With several different program modes, these interlinking targets present a range of shooting scenarios, allowing you to either hone your target-shooting skills, or compete against a friend. For a full run-down of the features contained within G&G’s M.E.T set, check out Andy Nightingale’s professional verdict on page 70. To be in with a shout of bagging one of the sets, simply spot the five differences between the images below, and either post this page into us with the differences marked on, or email us with the solution. Good luck!
Name _____________________________________ Address____________________________________ __________________________________________ Postcode ___________________________________
WORTH
£325
Telephone __________________________________ Email _____________________________________
Post your entry to: G&G M.E.T 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 M.E.T competition’ in the headline. Entries received after 11 June will not be valid. One entry per household. The winners will be the first two names pulled from the editor’s hat. Blaze Publishing would like to keep you informed of other offers and publications. Please tick here if you would NOT like to be contacted by post or email
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Jay Slater gets his hands on G&G’s version of the iconic WWII German rifle
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olt-action enthusiasts will be delighted to see that G&G has launched a gas-powered replica of the Karabiner 98 Kurz, aka the K98. In paying homage to the iconic WWII German infantry rifle, G&G has created something that certainly looks authentic. With a limited magazine capacity, and a racking and clacking bolt, it takes realism in airsoft to new levels. Though arguably at a disadvantage against high-cap AEGs, the bolt-action requires skill and experience to make use of the limited ammunition capacity and fire rate – with the payoff being realistic firepower. As a sniper bolt-action rifle, the G980 – as this version is known – enters the ring fighting fit to sock it to plastic springers. Let’s see how it fares.
Real Steel Referred to by the Wehrmacht as the ‘Kars’, the K98 first saw service in 1935 and used the 7.92x57mm Mauser round. So successful was the rifle, that around 15 million were produced, seeing action from the Spanish Civil War to current regional conflicts. Operators marvel at its ease-of-use, build, reliability and range, while enthusiasts compare the K98 to the Lee-Enfield. Its effective range with iron sights is documented as 500 metres and 1km when scoped. That’s some serious killing-ground efficiency. Truly adaptable on the battlefield, the rifle is
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loaded with five rounds (individually or with a stripper clip) and can fire grenades via a launcher as well as being an effective sniper platform with telescopic sights. Becoming an integral part of German small arms doctrine, the K98 has earned respect, and it remains unknown why popular first-person shooters have yet to embrace it. But despite its acceptance by German armed forces during the war, it did have its disadvantages. The main battle formation for the infantry focused on the use of a machine gun, such as the devastating MG 42, whereas troops would supply covering fire with K98s. The rifle could only store half the bullet capacity of the Lee-Enfield, and it became apparent that the bolt-action K98 was limited in its rate of firepower compared with the likes of the gas-powered M1 Garand. Although this deficiency was answered late in the war with the introduction of the semi-automatic Gewehr 43 and StG44, the K98 was difficult to use in close combat, such as in the ruins of Stalingrad, where its weight and size were a hindrance. That said, the sheer firepower of the Mauser round would make short work of penetrating walls, as well as flesh and bone.
The Replica The K98 has been replicated for airsoft purposes with mixed results. The £400,
8mm Umarex version is gas-powered, and hasn’t attracted a great deal of attention, either positive or negative, perhaps due to its upper-end price tag. At the cheap end of the spectrum, DBoys released a poorly received spring version and shell ejector. Underpowered at 290fps and badly finished
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THE ARMOURY | G&G G980
with fake wooden stock and ugly seam lines, each brass shell incorporates the BB individually, and spent cartridges have to be collected by hand. It’s a nice touch, but it’s makes it impractical for field use. The much-loved Tanaka is joyous eyeball candy, with new versions costing around £350, and each gas magazine a further £35. However, the UK’s sub-zero weather turns it into a useless prop. Meanwhile, the Godzillastrong internals of the Tokyo Marui VSR-10 can also make a highly reliable skirmish weapon. As for G&G’s G980, my first impressions are strong. It’s clear that plenty of thought has gone into the presentation, with beautiful, secure packaging and all the expected paraphernalia, including a bag of BBs and a leather sling. Before long, I prised the Third
Reich’s bad boy from its plastic casing for a closer look. Initial inspections revealed the rifle to be lighter than the real thing, and extremely well made, incorporating steel and a solid wooden stock. However, G&G have cut corners with the stock, as the grain effect is artificial and the lacquer sprayed on. Also, the stock looks easily susceptible to damage and heavy-duty field use; expect the wood to crack and chip. The review sample came with the new steel bolt, as original examples had issues with an alleged pot metal hammer that would fail and snap. This was solid as a rock, with no wobble and authentic German markings. Another surprise was a plastic bayonet fixture that is crying out to be snapped. Also included in the review package were a G&G
1x5 magnitude telescopic sight, a green-gas magazine and two 8g ‘Seltzer’ bulb CO2 magazines of varying fps limits. An ingenious design, the lower-rated magazine delivers around 350fps, and the other a delightfully devilish 450-or-so. The CO2 bulb is inserted into the magazine via a cleverly constructed device that forms part of the unit. It disconnects from the magazine housing and assists in unscrewing the plate. The bulb then slots in and the plate is screwed in tightly and you’re ready to go. Each magazine holds a nine-round plastic strip, and the overall design by G&G is one of simplicity and brilliance. Not only is CO2 convenient, but most importantly, it can be used at low temperatures and is less susceptible to G&G also sells a G980-specific 1.5x scope for around £70
“Its steel bolt has a growing addictiveness, thanks to the tantalisingly awesome sound when racking it and ramming it home” www.airsoftactionmagazine.com
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Both the rearsight and hooded foresight (below) are fully adjustable
massive power changes and venting. Another point of note is the easy access of the hop-up that is located on the side of the rifle.
On Test Then it came to actually firing the gun, and it all went horribly wrong. The hop-up was glued together internally, proving impossible to budge. I then racked back the bolt and secured the safety lever. However, the lever was then stuck in the safe position, making the rifle impossible to use for fear of damaging its internals! After this, I asked Tactical Quartermaster to strip it to the bare bones, so that the bolt and safety lever could be loosened. Needless to say, I didn’t bother using the safety again. Once ready for action, I tested .25, .30 and .40 BBs using both the CO2 and green-gas
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THE ARMOURY | G&G G980
Racking and loading with the bolt is extremely satisfying
magazines, achieving a range of 140 feet. The CO2 magazines struggled for consistency; the first shots were over 600fps, before its power settled to an acceptable level of 390fps. Towards the end of the bulb’s life, there was a marked end of its power – 260fps and less – its final shots dipping and then flatlining. I estimated that four clips of ammo (or 36 BBs in total) would exhaust the tiny 8g capsule before it needing replacing. The magazines and nine-round strips are finicky to work on, especially in the heat of battle. However, gas efficiency is high and the cost on your pocket low, at an estimated 1p per shot. The green gas performed well, but lacks the all-weather suitability of the marvellous little bulbs of CO2 cheekiness. Despite the G980’s impressive accuracy with its full-length barrel, range was an
issue. I fired over 500 rounds to let the hopup bed in and to exhaust the typically cheap oil found in mass-produced airsoft weapons. Still, poor range continued to plague what could have been a truly stellar sniper platform, as BBs struggled to reach the end of the firing range. However, this particular rifle on test may have suffered from gremlins, and perhaps this review should not tar all G&G G980s with the same brush, as other owners are often highly praiseworthy in terms of accuracy, range and power.
Conclusion Overall, this is without question an excellent K98 replica, and a perfect rifle for re-enactors, with a few frustrating bugbears that may be resolved with patience. Its steel bolt has growing, liquid-crack addictiveness, thanks
to the tantalisingly awesome sound when racking it, and the crisp clack, clunk and kerching resonance when ramming it home. This is bolt-action nirvana.
INFORMATION & PRICE G&G G980
OVERALL LENGTH: 1,100mm BARREL LENGTH: 577mm WEIGHT: 3.74kg MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 9 rounds POWER SOURCE: 8g CO2 bulbs FIRING MODE: Single-shot PRICE: ~ £370 AVAILABLE FROM: Pro Airsoft Supplies, London, N6 5AX WEB: www.proairsoftsupplies.co.uk
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THE ARMOURY | PTS MASADA CQB
PTS
CQB
After enjoying the SV version, Ratty checks out the PTS Masada CQB
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ome of you must be thinking that I’m sponsored by PTS, given the number of their products I have reviewed in recent issues. Unfortunately, this is not the case – it just so happens that PTS has got a load of awesome products out there, most of which have found their way into my eager hands! Back in the March issue, you may remember that I reviewed the PTS Masada SV, which, to my own amazement, I got on rather well with. You can imagine my surprise, then, as a package arrived containing one of PTS’s top-end Masada CQB rifles. In the world of real steel, the Masada is an Adaptive Combat Rifle (ACR) that allows the operator to build an almost missionspecific weapon, changing barrel length, stock type, fire control, and magazine capacity. However, in the airsoft world, things are a little different, although not to the extent that you might think. The original PTS Masada has been around for some time now, with the CQB version a recent
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addition to the market. I want to find out if it stands up against some of the other similar rifles that have since become available.
First Impressions As with many ‘top end’ airsoft guns, the Masada CQB’s box is quite plain. Indeed, PTS products are quite synonymous with unassuming packaging. Inside the box you will find the CQB itself, a PTS 120-round P-MAG, a PTS MBUS2 flip-up rearsight, an instruction manual and a warranty card. Getting the Masada CQB out, it feels a little heavier than the SV version I last reviewed. A quick once-over reveals that this top-of-therange version is made out of slightly sturdier stuff, too. While the upper receiver is still CNC-machined, the lower has been made
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out of DuPont reinforced polymer. It certainly feels durable, with no flex or movement to be found anywhere on the rifle. The stock itself is not just side-folding – it also has seven extension positions, from compressed to fully-extended, so the rifle will be comfortable to shoulder no matter what size you are. One of the great things about the Masada range is that all the controls are ambidextrous: safety/fire selector, mag release, bolt-release catch and, given a couple of minutes, the charging handle too. Fitting the battery is also simple. With just one pin, the front hand guard slides off, revealing the mini Tamiya connector. As with all the Masadas, the hand guard will accept the fitting of PTS’s own rails,
allowing you to bolt on all your essential goodies. There is plenty of space for a decent battery inside the hand guard, whether you opt for an 8.4V or 9.6V NiMH, or even a 7.4V or 11.1V LiPo. You can also see with the hand guard off how quick and easy it is to change the CQB barrel out for the normal carbine length barrel should you so wish. This quick barrel-change system has been a feature on all the PTS Masadas – and I must admit I am surprised that so few manufactures have implemented this or a similar system. Pulling back the cocking lever/charging handle allows you access to the hop adjuster. This locks back the dummy bolt, which, when you’ve made your adjustments, is released forward by
THE ARMOURY | PTS MASADA CQB pressing the bolt-release catch. Though there are many AEGs on the market that do the same, this is still a nice touch. Inside the PTS Masada CQB is the familiar, enhanced version 2 gearbox with 8mm bearings. Personally, I am not a fan of bearings over bushings, as from personal experience it is always these that collapse first – and then cause more damage inside your gearbox. That said, from speaking to PTS Masada owners, this does not seem to have been an issue with their guns. Mind you, being 8mm, these are larger than other bearings that I have had problems with before.
On Test So, down to the nitty gritty. What is the PTS Masada CQB like to use? I fitted on the MBUS rearsight, loaded up the mag with Blaster Devil 0.20g BBs and slotted an 8.4V 160mAh mini-type battery into the hand guard. I also filled up a couple of ASG M16 300-round high-cap mags, mainly to bed the hop in. After a quick couple of squirts of silicone spray in the usual places, I scooped up all my kit and headed off to my slightly revamped test range. I now have two targets set at just over 100 feet, the first being a slightly oversized target, similar to an archery target, while the second is a mannequin, which seems fairly appropriate for testing airsoft weapons! With the first ASG M16 high-cap
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THE ARMOURY | PTS MASADA CQB
mag fitted, I shouldered the weapon, aimed at the roundel, selected full auto and let off a quick burst. A load of BBs flew down and scored in the outer circle. It seemed the hop would need some bedding in. So, for the next quarter of an hour or so, in controlled bursts, I let rip at the targets. With five high-cap mags spent, I set the hop to where it needed to be and loaded up the mags again. Now, with the hop unit set correctly, I flicked the selector switch to semi-auto and pulled back on the trigger. ‘That’s more like it,’ I thought, as the BB sailed to the centre of the target. After a few single rounds, I did some double taps. The trigger response is good and managed to keep up with my quick, repetitive pulls. Then, with a flick of the thumb, moving the fire selector onto automatic I let off a short burst. All three rounds hit virtually the same bit of the target. Swinging slightly to the right, I engaged my mannequin. Again, wherever I pointed the CQB’s barrel is where the BBs hit. Lets face, you can’t really ask for more than that. Even with an 8.4V battery, it’s got a fairly rapid rate of fire. Next it was off to my CQB area to put it though its handling and manoeuvrability paces. With some freshly loaded magazines, off I went, working my way
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around the maze of rooms. Moving at my best tactical speed, I would spot the target, engage it, fire two shots to the chest, one to the head, move on to the next, and so on. Being used to an M4, the Masada can feel a little bulky at first, but no more so than an equivalent length G36 – and with the shortened CQB 11.5” barrel, it does cut down on the potential of being caught out by the dreaded ‘door frame’ syndrome! It doesn’t take long to get used to the Masada, and pretty soon it’s as if you haven’t used anything else. After an hour or so of testing out on site, it was time for the chrono-ing stage. I headed back to my range area and, using my trusty Madbull version 2 chrono and Blaster Devil 0.20g BBs, I fired the first round off. I followed this one with another 11 rounds. The result was a respectable average of 344fps, with a spread of 335-349fps.
Conclusion I was quite taken aback with how much I liked the PTS Masada SV when I reviewed it earlier this year. This top-end CQB version has built on that fondness. The overall build quality, weight and finish are very impressive, with good quality internals. It performs well and, although on test I used
an 8.4V battery, if I owned one, I would run either a 9.6V NiMH or a 7.4V LiPo. The rate of fire would be fantastic. If you are used to using either a short M4 or MP5 variant when playing at a CQB venue, then once you get used to the chunkiness of the Masada, it is a very capable weapon. Crikey, I think I am going to have to join the Masada Appreciation Society! That just leaves one last question for the guys at PTS. When is the open-bolt GBB version coming out?
INFORMATION & PRICE PTS Masada CQB
WEIGHT: 2.85kg BARREL LENGTH: 292mm OVERALL LENGTH: 570mm(stock folded); 745mm (part-extended); 820mm (fully extended) HOP-UP: Adjustable BATTERY: 8.4V/9.6V NiMH Mini Type/Crane Stock, 7.4V/11.1V LiPo BARREL THREAD: Clockwise BARREL THREAD DIAMETER: 14mm MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 120 rounds VELOCITY: 335-349fps (on test PRICE: ~£450
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Following on from The Gothic Line, Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey travelled to Tuddenham to take part in the next instalment of Gunman Airsoft’s epic WWII campaign
the last bullet A
s an airsofter, I often feel that Mother Nature is a real, living, breathing entity – one with a twisted sense of humour. Take my last foray into the world of WWII airsoft, for example: a game set in 1940s Italy, played out in mid-April… and for some inexplicable reason, in a snowstorm! Now, if we’d have been trying to replicate Stalingrad we’d have been in our element, but somehow fighting in the ‘Mediterranean’ with three inches of snow on the ground just felt a bit odd. Luckily, the organisers decided to move the warzone from the initial lowland area into a theoretical ‘alpine’ setting – and so the suspension of disbelief was saved. This event, entitled The Last Bullet, was the latest instalment in Gunman
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Airsoft’s WWII campaign. For those of you not familiar with our occasional reviews of Gunman events, here’s a quick rundown. Starting about five years ago with the epic D-day game, fought on an actual beach, Gunman Airsoft have been slowly working their way through WWII’s most iconic battles, on both airsoft and MOD sites across the country. Currently, they’re in the winter of 1944, with the Allies fighting their way through Italy. The history buffs among you will know that the Italian campaign was not only a savage slog for both sides, but it did actually feature some of the worst weather ever seen in European warfare – so perhaps the snowstorm wasn’t totally uncalled for. But that’s enough about the weather – what about the game?
I won’t go into the usual stuff about safety briefs and game rules – needless to say it was the usual concise and efficient fare we’re used to from Gunman Airsoft. Chief marshal Josh Smith soon filled us in on the plot: high up in the Alps, the Allies had established a temporary airstrip for light aircraft to bring in supplies and take out the wounded next to an old Italian barracks. While the Allies were resting and recuperating after the mauling they’d taken at the last episode (The Gothic Line, reviewed in the February 2013 issue of Airsoft Action), unbeknown to them, the Germans were planning a counter-attack to slow down the Allied advance by wrecking this vital part of their logistics train.
EVENT REPORT EVENT| REPORT OPERATION | THEFURIOUS LAST BULLET ANGEL All Hell Breaks Loose So, as Allied commander, I began the game with a party of British infantry providing sentries and base security, while the US troops ‘rested’ in their barracks and kept an eye on the ‘airstrip‘ and the base’s supply dump. I’m not sure why I’m putting ‘airstrip’ in quotation marks as we were actually playing on a WWII airstrip! Gunman’s Tuddenham site was a Lancaster bomber base during WWII, so proved eerily realistic as a game environment – and it was all too easy to feel you were really there. Having set up a security patrol, and acting like we were not expecting anything to happen, somewhere, out there in the surrounding woods, the German reconnaissance forces got slowly closer and closer. Actually, they were not slowly getting closer – they pretty much screamed in all guns blazing. ‘Recce’ must translate into German as ‘shoot the hell out of everyone and then have a look around afterwards’.
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As you can imagine, the mother of all firefights began. With BBs flying all over the place, it was a real effort to keep the Allied line intact, but after about an hour, almost as suddenly as all hell had broken loose, hell froze over. The white snowstorm of BBs stopped and a real natural snowstorm began as the German forces slipped away into the woods, having achieved their goals of recce-ing the key code words attached to bunkers and cargo crates. We had no idea what they were actually up to or where they were, so there was only one thing for it – time to take prisoners. Assembling a crack team of volunteers (well, it was more a case of ‘you, you and you, go and fetch me a Kraut!’), I tasked them with infiltrating the German lines and bringing back some prisoners to interrogate. As my long-suffering adjutant Evo and I watched them disappear into the snowy wastes, we sat down, brewed some tea and waited. And waited. And waited.
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EVENT REPORT EVENT| REPORT OPERATION | THEFURIOUS LAST BULLET ANGEL
Now, while it felt like hours huddled in an old barracks with the snow blowing all around us, it was probably more like 30 minutes before the radio crackled into life and Able Section (aptly named in this case) reported they were bringing in a prisoner. Overjoyed, we went out to meet them and found they’d actually bagged two or three, and following up behind them were Baker Section with another two. Some quick, roleplayed interrogation ensued (no nothing pervy, just some honest questions and answers), and we found that we now had a better intelligence picture of the German plan to destroy the airstrip and supplies. The game, as Sherlock would say, was afoot. Armed with an idea of what we had to do to stop the Hun, we got stuck in and the firefight raged between the buildings of the barracks complex with little respite for several hours. By the time evening’s end-ex was called, as the daylight began to fade, the battle was in anyone’s hands – but most of the complex was in German possession. Freezing cold, soaking wet, but in great spirits, we all retired to the local pub for a hot meal and few beers. I won’t go into the reaction we got from the locals when 50 or so WWII soldiers and an Imperial gunner from Star Wars turned up
(don’t ask about the gunner), but you can imagine a few heads turned!
The Show Must Go On Waking up the next morning, we were in for a shock. It had snowed. And then snowed some more. Slightly more worryingly, a lot of the players had endured a rough night sleeping in tents – and, unable to muster the enthusiasm to play in the snow, had headed for home. Still, a fair few were undeterred and decided that the show must go on. However, with reduced numbers and some parts of the site knee-deep in snow, a decision was made to modify the game plan and have day two as a full-on battle for possession of the barracks and the airstrip. House-to-house fighting is never easy. It’s even harder when it’s utterly freezing and you can’t tell whether there are BBs coming your way or you’re stuck in a blizzard. But the Allied forces commenced their attempt to recapture the lost buildings and a savage battle ensued. Slowly but surely, the Allies reclaimed their base. However, while caution was necessary, it was also their worst enemy. By the end of the second day’s play, many parts of the complex were still in German hands – and at end-ex, the Germans were
able to claim a partial victory, as they had prevented the Allies using their airstrip for two vital days.
Conclusion Once again, I was lucky to be part of another epic instalment in Gunman’s ongoing WWII saga, and it’s a testament to the players that even the foulest of weather wasn’t going to stop them. While at times it felt more like the Russian than the Italian front, I have to say that playing airsoft in the snow is something everyone should try at least once – if only to suffer the embarrassment of having someone dead in the sights of your handgun, pull the trigger, and watch the BB dribble out of the barrel with a pitiful pffft as your gas pressure reaches an epic low!
INFORMATION & PRICES The Last Bullet
ORGANISER: Gunman Airsoft HELD: 23-24 March 2013 LOCATION: Tuddenham, Suffolk – just one of four Gunman Airsoft sites PRICE: £55 advance (£65 on the day) WEB: www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk TEL: 07854 277264
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THE ARMOURY | ASG STI INTERNATIONAL LAWMAN
LAYING DOWN THE LAW 1911 replicas are plentiful and a bit predictable – so Scott Allan finds out whether the latest version from ASG can offer something new
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he 1911 is an iconic pistol design, and there are plenty of airsoft replicas out there, of varying quality. I recently got hold of a new version, which replicates the STI International Lawman, licensed by Action Sport Games in Denmark, to see whether it could spark my enthusiasm. It’s a CO2 pistol that is usable in the UK – and this full-metal 1911 has the STI trademarks, giving it an authentic feel. However, as 1911s are fairly commonplace – and gas blowbacks are all largely the same – this ASG pistol has a big job on its hands to impress.
Real Steel Crafted with the classic 1911 design, the STI International Lawman is a traditional 1911 built to modern, high-end standards, resulting in an exceptional duty and self-defence pistol. True to 1911 tradition, the Lawman is built on a forged steel, government length, standard width frame with a finely chequered frontstrap and backstrap. The grip includes a flat mainspring-housing configuration to
provide an excellent hold. The controls are the STI International single-sided thumb safety and STI International high-rise beavertail grip safety. The Lawman slide features traditional 1911 styling, with a lowered and flared ejection port and front and rear cocking serrations. The barrel is a 5-inch, fully supported STI International ramped barrel with match-grade bushing. The Lawman comes with a STI International commander style hammer and the patented STI International trigger system. STI International offers the Lawman in three different finishes: traditional polished blue, and two-tone polymer in either light brown over coyote tan, or black over olive drab. Grip panels are offered to match, finished in black, olive drab or coyote tan.
The Replica As for the ASG version, the balance and weight are sublime, while the finish of the metalwork is a standard, flat grey, but this definitely adds to the look. The grips are brown plastic – and I would be tempted to
swap them out for real wooden versions, which are cheap and plentiful. The action is nice and smooth, but the best part of all is the blowback. CO2 pistols have always provided a great blowback action, but the downside is that they often have a higher feet-per-second rating than a standard AEG! You could always generally expect a CO2 pistol to record around 400fps over the chronograph with a 0.20g BB, and in lots of cases this would be even as high as 450fps. This is why, to date, you have not seen so many
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THE ARMOURY | ASG STI INTERNATIONAL LAWMAN
“The Lawman is site friendly and has a gargantuan amount of recoil” CO2 airsoft pistols actually being used. However, this version is designed to run at a less face-shattering 330fps with Blaster 0.20g BBs. This means the pistol is less affected by the cold and damp (also known as the British summertime) – and it’s site friendly and has a gargantuan amount of recoil! Oh, and the noise. The Lawman makes an earth-shattering crack as it cycles. The target is likely to take their hit even if you miss, just from the noise it makes! So while it is ‘just another 1911’, it is more usable than most. But there are so many 1911 replicas out there that this version may get overlooked, and that is nothing short of a sin. This is not only a good 1911, it’s one of the best you’ll ever come across. The only real downside is the lack of a rail, which won’t put everyone off – but for those that do like this option, a brilliant alternative purchase would be the Nighthawk Custom Recon. This is also a CO2 pistol, but doesn’t have quite as nice recoil as the ASG model.
On Test A large number of 1911s I have used suffer terribly from the cold due to the narrow pistol magazine. The design just doesn’t hold a lot of CO2, and the cold kills the expansion rate of the gas, rendering the pistol a useless, gas-venting
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mess slowly freezing to your hand. While historically CO2 pistols have often been too powerful to use in the UK, thankfully the ASG STI International Lawman is nicely lowered and will last in the cold – and using less gas to generate the power means your CO2 bulb will last longer. It even fits in a Blackhawk Serpa holster nicely, too. I tend not to speak too much about range and accuracy in reviews, as they can vary greatly from pistol to pistol. And while a large number of airsoft skirmishers still buy 0.20g BBs, I have been noticing a large number of players are using heavier weights, such as 0.25s in pistols – and some are even using 0.30, 0.36 and 0.40s. There are a variety of reasons for this, but in my experience heavier ammo in a gas blowback gives you more power. For example, I tested a KWA MP7 a long time ago and the chronograph readings were pretty much the same (around 370fps) with 0.20, 0.25 and 0.20 Blaster BBs. Heavier ammo allows the gas to expand better and build pressure, effectively making the gun more powerful. You can use this to your advantage, just don’t get carried away and hurt someone or break your site limits. Personally, I would run the Lawman on 0.30s, which, though they brought the chrono reading down to 280fps, flew straight and far.
Conclusion The only drawback to using 12g CO2 bulbs is that you have to have spares, and changing them in game isn’t always easy. While I was easily getting three magazine-loads per bulb, I am a bit of a lazy skirmisher. Whether this bothers you is just down to personal preference, I guess. But if you’re a pistol fiend after top performance, or just want an airsoft version of the classic 1911 design, do yourself a favour and buy this version. It is undoubtedly the best available, and the price is lower than most others on the market. The ASG STI International Lawman is by far one of the best blowbacks – and one of the loudest pistols – that I have ever used.
INFORMATION & PRICE ASG STI International Lawman
OVERALL LENGTH: 215mm BARREL LENGTH: 115mm WEIGHT: 765g HOP-UP: Adjustable SYSTEM: Gas blowback PROPELLANT: CO2 MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 14 rounds VELOCITY: ~320fps PRICE: £115
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GOING GREEN With the environment an ever-popular subject, Airsoft Action asked Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey to go green for a game or two
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s a veteran airsofter, over my decade of skirmishing I have to confess that I’ve never even considered using anything other than standard, high-quality BBs in my AEGs. While I’d heard of ethical and green ‘biodegradable’ BBs, I’d also heard the accompanying horror stories and steered well clear – that is until recently. During a conversation with the editor, the subject of biodegradable BBs came up – and I was asked if I’d give them a go in my gun. ‘Not bloody likely!’ was my reply, as I’d read reports condemning them with a list of sins including inaccuracy and excessive barrel fouling. ‘What if they were free?’ came the reply. Ever the skinflint ‘economiser’, I thought perhaps they were worth a go after all. So, armed with a selection of biodegradable BBs in various weights and a ‘disposable’ cheapsoft M14, just in case the worst of the horror stories turned out to be true and I ended up damaging one of my prized custom guns, I thought I’d put them to the test. Before delving into my findings, however, it’s probably worth having a look at some of the pros and cons of the ‘green’ ammo option. The obvious selling point of biodegradable BBs is that, unlike regular ammo, which can take decades (or even centuries) to decay and will litter your site for a lifetime, ‘green’ BBs, made largely of compressed resins, can be absorbed back into the earth in as little as a couple of years. On outdoor sites using leased land (such as a regular haunt of mine that’s usually an equestrian riding centre) that’s a big bonus as, while individual BBs are not too conspicuous, the aftermath of a weekend
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battle with tens of thousands of them on the ground can be a bit obvious and less than attractive to nature lovers! While this does sound like a real bonus, it’s worth bearing in mind that, in the past, biodegradable BBs have had a bad press. More and more sites are insisting that only biodegradable BBs are used on their site – but how does this impact on the player? And we’re not talking about taking your hits! For a start, they tend to be that little bit more expensive than regular ammo, and while you might feel it’s a small price to pay to help save the planet – will you be saving the world but wrecking your gun? Furthermore, are ‘green’ BBs really that ecologically sound? Many claim that, while the long term damage to the environment is minimised, their actual production process creates more CO2 than regular BBs – although this, in itself, is a somewhat contested point – and perhaps the more pressing concern is the effect the BBs can have on your AEG’s internals. Several players have found that biodegradable BBs can leave large amounts of residue in your weapon’s barrel and fail to feed from the magazine, seriously affecting accuracy and performance after a few skirmishes. While we’re on the subject of accuracy, quite a few players feel that past 30 metres or so, the flight of greener BBs becomes somewhat erratic. So, keen to see if there was much truth in that, I went out to my local ‘test area’ (well away from prying eyes on private land in the
DEBATE | BIODEGRADABLE BBS
“Several players have found that biodegradable BBs can leave large amounts of residue in your weapon’s barrel and fail to feed from the magazine, seriously affecting accuracy and performance after a few skirmishes” country) and put a few hundred rounds of different weights through my cheap but trusty M14, my thoughts being that, if they worked well in a £100 gun, they’d work well in anything. To be fair, the results were favourable. When I say ‘favourable’, I really mean that I honestly didn’t notice any difference between the Green BBs from Biowargames.com that I’d been supplied with and my usual brand of 6mm shooty death. Grouping seemed consistent, and accuracy didn’t seem to suffer either. I certainly had no issues with feed from the magazine, and perhaps the only ‘oddity’ was that they tended to explode into a powdery residue when hitting stone and brick. Some players have expressed concern that this shattering effect can also happen when eye protection is hit – potentially worrying if you’re wearing mesh glasses!
PLAYERS’ VIEWS ANDREW BAGG: “I think biodegradable BBs are ultimately what we should be shooting, but not until they’re able to compete with nonbios in terms of performance.” BILLY GUMBRELL: “I tried using bio BBs and will never do so again until the technology changes for the better. They can swell while in storage, putting them out of tolerance for some barrels – and they lack the consistency for high-grade, high-precision weapons.” RYAN BENNETT: “I think that airsofters are very responsible in the way they play and keep to legislation. We should be equally as responsible for our effect on the sites we play at by using bio BBs.” MATT TOWLE: “Just like standard BBs there are some great ones and there are some cheap ones. You get what you pay for. With quality brands like Open Blaster, Green Devil or Madbull, you shouldn’t have too many worries.” MILLIE BE: “Personally I prefer biodegradable BBs because it makes the place a lot tidier – but they can be a pain and cause damage. It really depends on your preference.”
GREEN OPTIONS OPEN BLASTER BB AVAILABLE IN: 0.20 and 0.25g PRICE: From £7.75 (for bottle of 3,000) INFO: www.actionsportgames.com
MADBULL BIO PRECISION BB AVAILABLE IN: 0.20, 0.23, 0.25 and 0.28g PRICE: From £12 (for bag of 4,000) INFO: www.madbull.com
GREEN BB AVAILABLE IN: 0.20, 0.23, 0.25, 0.28g PRICE: From £14.50 (for bag of 5,000) INFO: www.biowargames.com
GREEN DEVIL BIO BB AVAILABLE IN: 0.20, 0.25, 0.28 and 0.30g PRICE: From £15 (for bag of 5,000) INFO: www.greendevilbb.com
In fact, if I discovered anything from my test it was that my rifle worked much better with 0.28s than my usual 0.25s, but that was purely because I’d never given them a go before. So, on an anecdotal level, the loss of accuracy and the risk of ‘in-gun breakage’ seemed to be a bit of a falsehood – so how about the barrel fouling? Here I’d love to be able to balance this account by saying that the BBs left a residue in the barrel, but that would be a lie. After shooting several hundred rounds downrange, my AEG was no worse off than at the start. Perhaps biodegradable BBs have improved. Perhaps I got a particularly good batch to test – or perhaps they were just spot on for my AEG. To me, they felt like they were doing the job as well as any standard ammo. But other players may well feel differently – and we certainly got a range of views when we broached the subject on Facebook. Check out a selection of readers’ views in the panel to the left.
HAVE YOUR SAY Got an opinion to share on the bio BB debate? Got an idea for a future topic? Get in touch with Airsoft Action via the address on page 4, or email nigels@blazepublishing.co.uk. Look out for future debate polls at our Facebook page (facebook.com/AirsoftAction)
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THE ARMOURY | G&D/CELCIUS M4 DTW
G&D/CELCIUS M4 DTW T
With the cost of training weapons starting to come down, Ratty takes a closer look at the latest offering from Celcius
raining weapons conjure up mixed emotions for many airsoft players. For some, a good training weapon – or TW – is an essential part of their load-out, helping them to achieve a sense of realism at MilSim and roleplay events. To others, TWs are the be-all and end-all of their airsoft experience – in the same way that some people are passionate about their car or motorbike. However, certain players view them as nothing more than overpriced AEGs with a couple of added features. Whatever your own stance, there’s no doubt that TWs bring out people’s passions and opinions. It wasn’t long ago that, if you wanted one, your only option was Systema. The cost of purchasing and upgrading these has given them a reputation as being elitist – and only owned by people with more money than sense! My own experiences with TWs over the years have been mixed. However, in the
last couple of years, the market has opened up. Other brands have released their own complete TWs – and, significantly, replacement drop-in gearboxes, hop units and electronics have started to appear. These can change the performance of your AEG to that of a TW. There are also manufacturers now offering a range of AEGs with TW features. So, in essence, depending on how much of a TW you want, there is something to suit, whether it’s an aftermarket modification or a full-on TW. One option is the new G&D DTW – which is marketed as a proper training weapon but for AEG money. Sound too good to be true? Let’s find out.
First Impressions The DTW I had for test came from the good guys at S-T-T-S, who distribute the Celcius CTW range in the UK. If any of you own an officially imported CTW from their accredited
retailers, then you will know that these guys are passionate, not just about the product, with continuous R&D and upgrade modifications, but also their aftersales and service. It might seem strange, then, that they are bringing in this DTW – that is until you see the box, which reveals that G&D have teamed up with Celcius to produce this hybrid TW. Opening up the plain brown box, you are presented with the G&D DTW M4, plus a mid-cap magazine, a loading rod and a barrelclearing rod. You also get a host of spares, including a complete Celcius rear MOSFET board and wiring, a selectable three-round burst EC, and a piston. You’ll either view this as great value for money, or raise an eyebrow, thinking the DTW must be pretty bad if has to come with spares to keep it going! Hopefully the former is true – but only testing will tell. Taking the DTW out of the box, you could easily mistake it for a normal AEG from the
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likes of G&P, Classic Army, VFC, ICS or G&G. It still feels sturdy, but it’s a little lighter than a CTW or PTW. The upper and lower receiver, outer barrel, front foresight, buffer tube and detachable carry handle/rearsight assembly are all made of aluminium (nonaircraft grade), which not only helps keep the weight down, but keeps the weapon durable and robust. The buffer tube is more AEG-size than the larger civilian-spec ones found on more expensive TWs – and all the metalwork is finished off nicely in black. The five-position crane stock is made of good quality ABS, and is identical to a VFC version, even down to how you fit the battery. Taking off the back plate and removing the insert reveals a mini Tamiya connector.
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THE ARMOURY | G&D/CELCIUS M4 DTW
The receiver is standard for an M4, with a flat-top upper. All the controls and selectors are where you would expect to find them. The engraved logos actually look better than those found on some of the brand’s TWs, except maybe those on the Team Alpha series CTW. The forward front hand guard is again made of ABS – and is more AEG than TW in terms of quality. Looking at the bigger picture, however, you have to remember the cost of these compared to the CTW/PTW. Most owners will take off these hand guards and fit a rail system, anyway. It’s also worth pointing out that the outer barrel is modelled on the earlier M4 and not the newer M4A1 version. At the business end, it is fitted with a standard M4/M16A2 flash
hider on a 14mm negative thread, making it easier to source a funky flash hider or suppressor of your choice. Internally, apart from a Celcius 6mm stainless steel barrel and a Celcius M110 spring fitted into a DTW cylinder, the rest is straight standard G&D DTW. The DTW I had for this review came fitted with a MDD Hop Unit V2, which apart from being easier to adjust, also works much better than a standard TW hop unit. While it doesn’t come as standard, I personally recommend spending the £75 or so and having one fitted to any TW platform. I must admit that, so far, I am rather impressed. While researching this article, I spoke to a number of DTW owners, all of whom had
nothing but praise for the weapon. Some of these guys bought them as ‘back ups’ for their PTWs and CTWs – but they have performed so well that the DTW has become their weapon of choice. This is high praise indeed – but let’s see if they are really worth it.
On Test I charged up two LiPo batteries, one a Firefox 11.1V 1200mAh, while the other was a slightly larger 11.1V 1450mAh crane-stock type. I bombed up the mag it came with, along with one of each of my Celcius CTW 120BB High Speed and Vanaras Polymer mags, to see if they were cross-compatible. After a quick squirt of silicone spray in the relevant places, I grabbed a BB loader and a bag of Madbull
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THE ARMOURY | G&D/CELCIUS M4 DTW INFORMATION & PRICE G&D/Celcius DTW
WEIGHT: 3.3kg OVERALL LENGTH: 607mm (CQB); 900mm (M4) BARREL LENGTH: 285mm (CQB); 385mm (M4) BARREL DIAMETER: 6mm MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 120 rounds VELOCITY: 325fps-345fps (on test, using 0.20g BBs) RECOMMENDED BATTERIES: LiPo 11.1V Cranestock-type PRICE: From £380
Precision Grade 0.20g BBs and it was off to my test range to put the DTW through its paces. First thing was to get the hop unit set up. Having got an MDD fitted in my own Celcius Team Alpha II, I knew that this would take some time to run in and set up properly. I wasn’t wrong. It was some 45 minutes and 1,000 BBs later before I was happy with my tinkering. With the DTW magazine firmly in the mag well, I selected semi-auto mode and squeezed on the trigger. As I expected, the BB flew straight and true and whacked into my target at 100m. I repeated this a few times, and each time the round hit the centre circle. From there I got a little more adventurous and started doing some double taps. The trigger response was really good, with little or no lag, as you might expect from a normal AEG. With a quick flick, I moved the selector to auto and let off a short burst. After half a dozen bursts, the mag ran out and the DTW stopped working. Mag change time. I hit the mag release, dumped the empty one, and slammed in the next one. That done, I hit the bolt-release catch and pulled the trigger. Another stream of BBs went downrange towards the target. This mag was from a
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Celcius CTW, and it was a very tight fit, but it worked. With a mix of auto, semi, double and even some triple taps, I went through that mag faultlessly. Again, when it ran out, the DTW ceased to turn over. This time, it was the turn of a Vanaras mag. This did require a good hard slap to engage it properly, but that could have been down to the gun being new. This too fed without issue. Happy days! When this ran out, I filled all three mags back up and then reset the target distance. I was now engaging my mannequin target from a distance of nearly 200 feet. From my own experience the MDD hop unit is more than capable of achieving this. I selected auto and let off a ranging burst. The BBs hit their target although they were a little off my aiming point, probably down to me using 0.20g BBs. If it were my gun, I would be running 0.25g as my minimum weight, going up to 0.28g or even 0.30g in an urban environment. I carried on with the mag that was fitted, and every time I pulled the trigger, BBs streamed out and hit their target. When this mag ran out, I fitted a fresh clip and got out the chrono. Over 20 shots, the DTW achieved a consistent reading of 338fps, with a low of 327fps and a high of 343 fps.
Summary The great ‘Systema v every other make of TW’ debate is not going to go away any time soon – and I’m sure this review just adds fuel to that fire. However, I can only go on my own personal experience, both as a player and as a retailer. The DTW has been a breath of fresh air. Unlike a couple of other brands, out of the box it didn’t need sending off to have a load of money spent on it to make it perform better or work properly. Nor, when I pulled the trigger, did I have to say that little prayer: ‘Please work! Please fire. Don’t let me down!’ So is it a skirmishable rifle? There is no high-cap available, nor have I heard of one in the pipeline. So if you like your hose-type days, then this probably isn’t the rifle for you. However, if you enjoy limited load-out days or want to dip your toe into MilSim or roleplay events, then this makes a great option. For the same price as a decent G&P or VFC AEG, you can have a TW that has all the features of its more expensive counterparts and performs equally as well out of the box. All in all, it’s a worthy addition to your armoury, no matter which standpoint you are coming from.
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After returning home to lick his wounds, Oscar Plummer reflects on an action-packed MilSim weekend
T OSCAR PLUMMER Oscar believes three things about airsoft: drinking tea makes you win; ‘Tally ho!’ is the best battle-cry; and RIS is a hideous modern monstrosity that should be banned.
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he opportunity to get stuck into 42 hours of MilSim goodness does not come along all that often – so I was never going to pass up the chance to take part in Operation Gravity, held at the British Army training camp in Bramley, Hampshire. This event was organised by the Ultimate Tactical Airsoft Group – or UTAG for short – and was a sequel to an event run at Copehill in November 2012. The scenario was fairly typical: British society has collapsed, the government is embattled, and a full-blown insurrection has flared up all across of the nation. The difference here was that UTAG’s game featured the People’s Liberation Army of China in the role of prime antagonist, backed up by home-grown insurgents –
presenting an opportunity to run around waving a red flag – surely a good thing. There were two main differences between Operation Gravity and the previous game at Copehill. First and foremost, Bramley is a woodland environment, with various compounds spread around the area, as opposed to Copehill’s denser urban setting. Secondly, this time I had the opportunity to play rather than just take pictures! I was very keen to try a UTAG event, so with everything bar the kitchen sink bunged into a second-hand bergen (42 hours requires a lot of cake), I toddled off in the general direction of Hampshire, whistling a jaunty tune and preparing for battle. Bramley is easy to find – even without the helpful briefing packs
EVENT REPORT | OPERATION GRAVITY provided by UTAG – and parking up was no bother. The site is plenty secure, as you’d hope with an MOD facility, so vehicles were harboured up nicely.
Picking Sides I plumped for the side of the insurgents – but quite aside from general malevolence, I had two reasons. Firstly, the team brief for the bad guys was that we would be based in a training camp, and given that UTAG is run by guys with a range of real-world experience, we would receive instruction from people who know what they are talking about – rather than my usual practice of watching YouTube videos of dubious professional provenance. Secondly, we had no set brief after that – we just would have to roll with whatever was chucked at us, which appealed to my sense of anarchy. One nice touch was that UTAG had provided a dedicated Facebook group for each side, for advance planning and so that people could get to know each other before the event. It was good to put faces to profiles. I soon got my first sight of the opposing force – a collection of special forces (SF) types – and at this point I started to catch the flavour of how
MilSim games present the opportunity for serious airsoft immersion
“Our HVT, wandering out the door for his morning constitutional, was plugged by a sniper and all hell broke loose”
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UTAG would be running the weekend. This event was set to be a pretty serious MilSim, so both teams were parked up in different areas to keep us separate and make sure we had as little intelligence about our opponents as possible. All we knew were the details in our briefing packs, and the general outline that this was a search and destroy mission. It slowly dawned on me that we would probably be the hunted rather than the hunter.
Setting Up Reception and payment were taken smoothly, kit was loaded onto vehicles for transport up to our base area, and we were shuttled up to a massive warehouse that would be our home for the next couple of nights. The facilities were pretty good – plenty of space to get bedded down, a generator, and a decent cache of water. Other than that, all we had was our kit, and we were reminded that eye protection must be worn at all times, even while sleeping. Once we were briefed in, it would be game on, with no breaks until midday on Saturday. Our initial brief was given at about 8pm. There was nothing out of the ordinary, though amusingly the usual stab rules were, well, beefed up a bit! We were also split into squads and allocated a single medic, our sole source of salvation should we get tagged. Straight from the bat, we were in MilSim
“It slowly dawned on me that we would probably be the hunted rather than the hunter” 038
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EVENT REPORT | OPERATION GRAVITY territory. This wasn’t just a mid-cap-only skirmish, this was set up to be as realistic as possible. Round about this time, one of the defining features of the weekend became apparent: it was cold. The forecast predicted minus 5 degrees at night, and as the sun went down on the Friday evening, we all realised that the weatherman had got it right for once. I don’t think I was the only person to leave his GBBs in the kitbag for the weekend; even propane wasn’t really working. So, having been allocated our respective squads, we got kit sorted, set up guys on stag and concentrated on getting some scoff down our necks. Given the temperature and the scenario, we didn’t set out for anything too adventurous on the evening.
Despite a slow build up, the casualties soon came thick and fast
Game On After a fairly chilly night, we were straight into our training regime. So far, we had had no contact with anyone, though a couple of guys reported spotting some lights overnight, so we were tasked out in our teams for a quick sweep of the immediate area. The team that had the misfortune to be lumbered with my sorry carcass was the IED gang – we’d be concentrating on laying a series of remote dets, booby-traps and other nefarious devices to catch any snooping types unawares. In addition to us, there was an assault team and a mortar section.
The army facilities at Bramley provide a fitting, realistic backdrop
During a few initial sweeps through the surrounding area, we had no contact with the enemy. As far as we could tell we were entirely alone in our area. So, with a strange sense of security, we headed back to the barn to rendezvous with the insurgent leader in charge of our training camp, who ran us through some basic firing lines and movement drills. But it was still uncannily quiet. Maybe we were missing things, but up until about 3pm, there was no contact. So, being impatient and fairly mischievous types, we decided to go and see if we could find some trouble. It didn’t take long. After a few minutes it became painfully apparent that we had
been watched all night and most of the morning. Patrols around the area began to find chemlights and other sighting marks set up in bushes, including things that looked suspiciously like booby-traps. Worst of all, we discovered the sound and shape of a vehicle patrolling some of the site’s roads. Oh, and we discovered that one of our team was a mole. From this point on, the tension started to ratchet upwards. Throughout the afternoon we laid a series of IEDs and found more and more evidence that we were under observation. Eventually, we located the opposing side’s forward operating base (FOB), which seemed to be fully occupied. But there was still no conclusive contact, though more than one hit-and-run was launched at us.
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Try as we might, we just couldn’t seem to bring the other side to battle – so we decided to force the issue. A three-phase assault was put into place; the IED team snuck up on one flank of the FOB, while mortars positioned themselves within range of the main gate. Meanwhile, the assault team stacked up, ready to deliver a surprise in the form of our smallest – and therefore hardest-tohit – team member, who would single-handedly charge the gate carrying a bomb. On a signal, the IED team flung a supply of Mk5s over the FOB wall to create a distraction, while the
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mortar team lobbed smokes in for cover. Our courier duly scampered inside the gate – but was hit, captured and the bomb disarmed before he could detonate. Blast – or not, as it happened.
Under Pressure From that point on, we came under more pressure; we pushed out patrols throughout the evening and night. There were a series of small-scale brushes with the enemy, including one particularly nightmarish game of hide-and-seek with a
vehicle-borne quick-reaction force (QRF), but still the SF seemed to be reluctant to stand and fight. It all made sense later in the evening, when they launched a snatch-and-grab raid on our FOB – and came within a gnat’s whisker of slaughtering half of our team in their sleeping bags, capturing one of our high value targets (HVT) to boot. A sizeable team had infiltrated the immediate surroundings of our base, eliminated the sentries, and were stacked up on the door with bangs in hand – but their plan fell over at the last minute when one of our patrols returned early (after taking a wrong turn and narrowly avoiding walking straight into a rather nasty ambush) and blundered – actually physically walked straight into – the back of the assault force. But for this bit of luck, half of our team would have been eliminated; as it happened, the tables were turned and the assault force was swiftly dispatched. Undeterred, the SF side rebooted their plans and turned up the
EVENT REPORT | OPERATION GRAVITY
A mortar team provides supporting fire for the insurgents
pressure. We were harassed for most of the night, with one HVT captured, and an OP calling in regular reports of SF movements. It all came to a head at 8am the next morning, when the gloves came off and the SF launched everything they had at us. Being an undisciplined rabble, we were caught completely unawares. Our HVT, wandering out the door for his morning constitutional, was plugged by a sniper and all hell broke loose. Our entire team was cornered in one building with one exit, with two SF callsigns mounting an assault. Efforts to lever open a second entrance for an escape route proved fruitless, as the SF had positioned a team that clobbered the first people out (myself included). Luckily, a medic was on hand and the injured were dragged back into cover and brought back into play.
For the next half-hour a fierce fight raged – and I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard so much pyro used in such a short space of time. Ultimately, though, the SF team were unable to bring enough firepower to bear and breach the doorway; after heavy casualties on both sides, the SF team withdrew, satisfied that the key objectives of neutralising the two HVTs had been achieved.
Conclusion Reflecting on Operation Gravity, I felt that it was a well-organised MilSim experience – and a lot of fun. Despite the temperature, there were plenty of opportunities for considered, planned actions, resulting in some of the most genuinely intense airsoft I’ve experienced. One thing that I would flag up is that it felt like a slow burn initially. It took a while to get going, but when it did it was great. The MilSim setting, and the length of the game, presented the opportunity to actually get to know and form a proper unit with other players. If, like me, you’re
not part of a regular, established team, then it’s all too easy for a standard Sunday skirmish to feel a bit chaotic. Over the 42 hours of Operation Gravity, we could work as proper units, and that sense of organisation added to the experience. Given the great bunch of guys, exciting gameplay, smooth organisation and lovely site, it’s a thumbs up from me. Or rather, it would be, if I hadn’t knackered one of them falling down some steps during the dawn raid – but who would of guessed that a metal AK receiver would come off worse than my thumb?
INFORMATION & PRICES Operation Gravity
HELD: 23-25 March 2013 LOCATION: British Army Training Area, Bramley, Hampshire ORGANISER: The Ultimate Tactical Airsoft Group (UTAG) WEB: www.ultimatetactical.co.uk PRICE: £85 for full weekend
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the rat pack From chicken tagine and chewing gum to wet wipes and flameless heaters, ration packs have come a long way over the years. Will Fowler explores what keeps soldiers going when they’re on the move
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t’s a chilly morning – you rub the sleep from your eyes, crawl out of the sleeping bag that has felt like a snug home from home, stow it and face the dawn. Before you get on with the business of the day there are a few more minutes that are your own, and like those minutes the previous evening, they can be among some of the most enjoyable of the day. Why? Because you and your buddy have teamed up to cook up the breakfast meal in your 24-hour ration pack. Psychologists say that it gives a sense of reward, but to be honest, a belly full of food can be remarkably comforting.
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The British Ration Pack If you have a British 24-hour general purpose military operational ration pack, by the end of the day you will have eaten approximate 4000Kcals, 550g worth of carbohydrates, 133g fat and 100g in protein. The pack has been designed around three meals, but also includes a sundries pack. This is essentially a ‘brew kit’ and includes four beverage whiteners, two coffee servings, two teabags, boiled sweets, Tabasco sauce, four sugar helpings, a pack of tissues, dental chewing gum, waterproof matches, wet wipes, water purification tablets, a spoon and a re-usable polythene bag.
A good representative example of the meal content of a British ration pack is ‘Menu 1’. It has a breakfast course of potato and beans, a main meal of tomato and basil soup and chilli con carne, and a pudding of fruit cocktail. Snacks include tuna with light mayo, beef jerky teriyaki, fruity and oaty biscuits, strawberry jam, lemon boiled sweets, isotonic drinks and mint hot chocolate. Produced in the UK by Vestey Foods, there are 38 different menus that include 20 general, six Sikh/Hindu, six vegetarian and six halal. The idea with the pack is that, while first and last light will be times when you are
FEATURE | 24-HOUR RATION PACKS
WILL FOWLER A veteran of the First Gulf War, Will Fowler graduated from the French Army École Militaire, Paris, as a Reserve Staff Officer (ORSEM) in 1993. While in uniform, in addition to infantry tactics he developed an specialist knowledge of demolitions and intelligence work. He is now a writer and military historian.
secure in a harbour area and can cook up a meal, there is a good chance that at midday you will be on the move and only have time to eat the snack course. It is a concept that has stood the test of time and operational experience.
French and US Ration Packs As you might expect from the nation that brought you Cordon Bleu cookery, the French army’s ration de combat individuelle rechauffable (individual, reheatable combat ration, or RCIR) is a bit of a luxury item. Take, for example, one sample menu. It includes chicken tagine, tuna and potatoes, mackerel pâté, salted and sweet biscuits, sugar lumps, fruit jelly, chewing gum, purification tabs, and paper towels. The ration also comes with a neat folding cooker and fuel tablets. Interestingly, while the US C-Ration of the Vietnam War era included packs of five cigarettes – well-known US brands that smokers would have found familiar and perhaps reassuring – French rations in the 1960s and 70s had small bottles of spirits as a digestif for the end of the evening meal. Today, not only is there no alcohol in French packs nor smokes in the US, like the British they have developed special menus that reflect the religious and dietary needs of their soldiers. Branded products are included with recognisable packaging, many of them items found in supermarkets. This not only saves money, but also makes the contents familiar to soldiers when away from home.
“French rations in the 1960s and 70s had small bottles of spirits as a digestif for the end of the evening meal” This may all sound like a bag full of nice goodies – but soldiers have always moaned about ‘rat packs’, and sometimes with justification when the same menu crops up several days in a row. Contact with other NATO units in Afghanistan has allowed them to compare the contents unfavourably with those of other armies. When the US Armed Forces adopted the Meal, Ready-to-Eat or MRE in the early 1980s, soldiers who were familiar with the tinned C-Rations were dismissive of the new freeze-dried fruit and entrée meal in a foil pouch and joked that MRE stood for ‘Meals Rejected by Everyone’. MREs have improved enormously since then, and today there are over 24 different menus. A representative example has chilli with beans, Mexican style corn, cheese spread, crackers, spice and red pepper and an accessory packet containing coffee, creamer, sugar, salt, chewing gum, matches, toilet paper and a towelette.
pouch containing magnesium, salt and iron powder. When water is added, it dissolves the salt to form a salt-water electrolyte, thereby turning each particle of magnesium and iron into a tiny battery. Because the magnesium and iron particles are in contact, they become thousands of tiny shortcircuited batteries, which quickly burn out, producing heat in a process the patent holders call ‘supercorroding galvanic cells’. The diagram on the packet suggests that the heater and main food pouch are put together and then propped up at an angle. It then takes 12 minutes for a 226.8g entrée to heat to 56 degrees. If the soldier is on the move, a slightly risky but useful option is to put the heater and food pouch combination into the cardboard box that holds the food pouch and put this in a trouser cargo pocket. The meal heats up and the soldier keeps on the move.
Cooking
Operational experience in Iraq and Afghanistan led US soldiers and marines to ‘field strip’ their MREs – removing items that weren’t essential. The weight-saving,
While the French have a cooker, the Americans have moved one step further with a flameless heater. This is a small
Field Stripping
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FEATURE | 24-HOUR RATION PACKS
down from 842g to 460g, might not seem that great, but veterans will remind you that ‘an ounce in the morning weighs a pound at night’. Open and empty out the contents of the MRE Package. Dump the condiment package, spoon (you should already have one in your top pocket), heater (do you need hot food?) and the cardboard box around the main course pouch. Sort the side dishes and select what you want to keep. Stack everything neatly into the bottom of the MRE polythene pouch and fold over once. Fold in the corners of the MRE pouch to streamline it. Wrap duct tape tightly around the packaging, leaving a tail on the tape folded for easy removal. As a result of feedback on the field stripping of MREs, the US Army Soldier Systems Center at Natick developed the First Strike Ration (FSR), a compact, eat-on-the-move ration, designed for consumption during the first 72 hours of conflict. The US Army says the FSR substantially reduces weight and load, and is intended to enhance a consumer’s physical performance, mental acuity, and mobility. The components are described as
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‘familiar, performance-enhancing, eatout-of-hand foods’ that require little or no preparation by the soldier. The beverages are reconstituted and consumed right out of the pouch. No water is needed for food preparation, only for the beverage mix. The food takes the form of pocket sandwiches to be eaten by hand.
Nutrition The British have gone down the same path as the FSR with the 12-hour operational ration pack that, when broken down, is designed to fit into pouches on the load carrying equipment and weighs less than 1kg. It has a flameless heater, and among the courses are beef jerky, chicken pasta, and a barbecue beef sandwich, along with wet wipes and a pack of paper napkins. The pack delivers over 4,000 calories – sufficient to keep soldiers going during a day-long patrol. One US MRE packet provides an average of 1,250kcal with approximately 13 per cent of energy from protein, 36 per cent from fat, and 51 per cent from carbohydrates. One MRE provides a third of the military recommended daily allowance for vitamins and minerals, as
deemed essential by the US surgeon general. Although nutritionally balanced (if all components are eaten), the percentage of energy from fat is higher than current recommendations in the United States. Though this may sound a bit ‘nanny state’, these recommendations are important. All combat rations are designed to give a balance of nutrition and energy – famously soldiers, like children, have been guilty of ‘cherry picking’ from rations, but even if he or she finds part of the ration pack distasteful, they should eat some of it to ensure that they have a balanced meal.
INFORMATION & PRICES British, American and French 24-hour combat rations can be bought online or through retail outlets. Prices range from around £13 for British packs and US MREs to £15 for French RCIR packs. AVAILABLE FROM: Surplus and Outdoors (www.surplusandoutdoors. com); Genuine Army Surplus (www.genuinearmysurplus.co.uk); WS Supplies (stores.ebay.co.uk/wssupplies-oxford)
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operation Scott Allan reports on a major event in the Scottish MilSim calendar
U
p in the grey, wintry wastes of Scotland, Military Simulation (or MilSim) games are few and far between. Luckily, though, there are a few companies, such as Land Warrior Airsoft, Stirling Airsoft and Tier 1, that are dedicated to providing players with the biggest and best MilSim events possible. So what does this type of game involve? Generally speaking, MilSims are tougher than normal skirmish days due to a variety of factors, including ammunition limits, the lack of high-capacity magazines and, most significantly, the length of the event. These factors vary from organiser to organiser. Some sites will run a MilSim as a one-day game, while others get more in depth, offering full-weekend events that allow differing fps limits depending on the calibre of the real counterpart of your rifle. For example, an M4 that fires 5.56mm rounds may be allowed 350fps; an M14 that fires 7.62mm may go up to 450fps.
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There is no strict right or wrong way to run a MilSim event, just whatever works for the site and the organisers. The games tend to be continuous, with no breaks, based around a series of objectives that must be achieved throughout the day. The lack of opportunities for fighting in built-up areas (or FIBUA) in Scotland means that MilSims are normally set in woodland. Land Warrior Airsoft’s woodland site, Airsoft Edinburgh, is a 70-acre plot comprising pine woods and open areas, backing onto the Moorfoot hills of the Scottish Borders. The altitude of the site (900 feet above sea level) means it is generally a little cooler all year round, and for the latest event, Operation Grey Spear, the conditions were no different. The snow had been building for around a week before the event took place. Operation Grey Spear was initially arranged for early February, and with over 40 players signed up on each team, the stage was set. But then winter reared its
ugly head again, and the site’s altitude, coupled with the renewed onslaught of cold weather, meant the entire place was frozen solid. Two working FV432 armoured personnel carriers were all ready for use in the game, but frozen fuel pumps meant they remained 16-ton sleeping giants – proof that you cannot plan for everything! Thankfully, by the time March rolled around, things had thawed out somewhat and we were good to go.
Scottish Soviets The event was set in a fictional, ex-Soviet state known as Arnistan, where two former Russian generals turned local dictators were fighting to control access into the capital city. Whoever controlled this access point would control the country. Players were split into two teams – the Greens, run by Neil Gregson, who played the part of Yuri Azarov, and the Deserts, run by Paul Fisher, masquerading as Boris
EVENT EVENT REVIEW REVIEW | OPERATION | OPERATION FURIOUS GREY SPEAR ANGEL
grey spear Vetrov. After organising themselves into squads, both teams were issued a timing sheet, and given a short while to analyse the objectives throughout the day and form an initial plan. Site marshals were split 50/50 and played in both teams as ‘eyes on the ground’, offering advice and helping the teams throughout the day. They were also keen to encourage leadership among newer players, instead of just the site regulars. Only with practice at command do new players get better, and while it is a baptism of fire, the lessons are learned quickly. Ammunition limits for standard rifles during Operation Grey Spear were set at 300 rounds, and a ban on high-capacity magazines for standard rifles meant the firefights were more tactical than your regular ‘spray and pray’ games. Sniper rifles, which were limited to 50 rounds, were classed as anything over 370fps, and locked to single-shot mode. Support
weapons (1,500-round limit) had to be legitimate, so no MP5Ks with drum magazines were allowed. Pistols and shotguns were unlimited in their rounds. All reloading had to be done in the respawn area, which introduced an additional tactical element. Players found themselves heading back to remove bandages and reload before a major assault. This all contributed to the teamwork, and was designed to encourage a concentrated effort, rather than aimless wandering around the woods for hours.
Game On The game started with General Yuri Azarov’s team sending a force to investigate a missing
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convoy – but their opponents were lying in wait for an ambush. The opening barrage of incoming mortars threw fireballs 30 feet into the air, and with a deafening crash the six-hour war began. General Boris Vetrov’s team was faster and more organised in the opening steps of the event, meaning they quickly gained the upper hand. The first objective was to retrieve an intelligence package from one of the vehicles, and while Yuri’s team fought hard, they were eventually overrun by a better-organised group of players. Each side fought hard to gain and bolster key positions, which would allow them a foothold to move around – but the ammunition limits and bleedout times meant that positions were readily taken and lost. One objective to set up an anti-aircraft missile defence was bitterly fought. General Vetrov’s team easily had control of the site’s Rapier Missile System, but the squad carrying the missiles was continually ambushed by the enemy, and they could not load the 45kg missiles into place. Each team had medics who could bandage players, but they had a limit on
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EVENT EVENT REVIEW REPORT | OPERATION | OPERATION FURIOUS GREY SPEAR ANGEL
their bandages, meaning they could provide a little help during a firefight, but not always a great deal. Medics could be swapped throughout the day so that each player had a shot at being a hero if they wanted to. If players were stuck out in the open, they had a two minute bleedout before heading to respawn. This meant players occasionally had a few hundred metre walk back to the respawn area. Several objectives involved holding key installations and trying to bomb designated enemy areas. Yuri’s team very nearly completed a bombing objective, clearing out all the enemy, only to find that no one had thought to bring the bomb with them! Valuable points lost for a silly mistake. Where the Green team did pick up a number of points was stealing the enemy’s colours from their HQ. This valiant piece of melodrama was performed by Kieran McLaughlin, and was something akin to a WWII tale of heroism! Stripped of all his kit, he ran past the entire enemy team to steal their objectives and then ran past them again. Aghast, the enemy finally gave chase but, weighed down by their equipment, they couldn’t hope to catch the whippet as
he bounded his way hundreds of metres through the woods! The game ended with a land grab. The teams fragmented into a variety of firefights across the site, and points were awarded for the bases held. Strangely, even though they had not been as coherently organised throughout the day, the Green team held more objectives, and did so with relative ease. The last hour of MilSim games is always tough; everyone is running on empty. It was minus three degrees, and at the shallowest, the snow was several inches deep, feet were tired and cold and definitely ready for a break by the 4pm end-ex. Tired but smiling faces revealed that Operation Grey Spear had more than lived up to its billing as a major showcase for Scottish MilSim.
End-Ex MilSim games are great when they’re done right, and ideally should be fairly openended. There shouldn’t really be sharkinfested custard areas where you can’t go – instead, open-ended rules allow both teams to think about what they really might do if it were a real scenario. I have played MilSim
events in the past where organisers say that a certain area is out-of-bounds because of XYZ – and it really takes away from what a big event should be about: misdirection, coordinated assaults, counting the shots your enemy is laying into your position, and sweating trying to remember, in a Dirty Harry way, ‘did he fire six shots or five?’ All of the above were in abundant supply during Operation Grey Spear. Over 80 players showed up, making this one of Scotland’s largest ever MilSim events, and while the pyro explosions were extensive and the cold was biting, the players fought through and were left shattered and smiling at the end of the day.
INFORMATION Operation Grey Spear
HELD: 24 March 2013 ORGANISER: Airsoft Edinburgh LOCATION: Outerston Hill, Scotland, EH23 4SB WEB: www.airsoftedinburgh.co.uk Thanks to Spectre Airsoft Media for their awesome photography.
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WORKSHOP | C8 STRIP-DOWN
canadian carbine
T
Dan Mills guides you, step-by-step, through stripping down the real-steel version of the C8 Carbine rifle
he C7 is an assault rifle manufactured by Colt Canada, a company known as Diemaco until 2005. Its carbine variant, the C8, was introduced for Canadian forces in the 1980s, and has since earned a strong reputation globally. As many of you will know, a carbine is a shorter version of a rifle – and therefore better suited to environments where a smaller weapon is needed, for example in confined spaces such as a turret or car. The C8 is now used in the UK, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands and Iceland. It even had a short lifespan with the Afghan national army. With various improvements and different variations made over the years, the C8 has become an effective, popular and easy-to-learn weapon. It can be fitted with iron sights or one of the many optical sights on the market today. Another bonus is that it’s simple to clean, and great after a day on operations or shooting on the ranges. Its size makes it a perfect weapon for concealment, use in vehicles, and fighting in and around urban structures. I’ve personally used the C8 on several operations – and I think it’s a superb weapon, so much so that here I want to give you an insight into its inner workings. The variant I have is the A1 version with a ribbed flash and adjustable butt. It also has the shorter snub barrel and is fitted with an Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG); Picatinny rails for all those essential operational extras; and a twosetting butt extension. It uses the standard NATO 5.56x45mm cartridge. Other variants have different barrel lengths, including a CQB-specific model, while the C8 is also available as semi-auto only, and in
an LSW version. This rifle can fire 750 to 950 rounds a minute, and is effective out to 400m (440yds), or out to 600m as a part of section fire. It has a muzzle velocity of 900m/s and, depending on which one you use, weighs just short of 3.6kg. The magazine fitted holds 30 rounds, but I have seen one made to hold 50. It is
still possible to fit the old tin-looking Colt magazines to this and also today’s HK SA80 version of the mag (pictured here). I would recommend the newer plastic ones that allow you to see through a window into the body of the magazine, and show you how many rounds are left – important stuff when in a contact situation.
Dan’s A1 model has a two-stage adjustable butt
An optional forward hand grip is fitted to this C8’s Picatinny rail
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WORKSHOP | C8 STRIP-DOWN STRIPPING DOWN THE C8 Stripping and assembling the C8 is simple. First things first, always carry out normal safety checks before handling and stripping; ensure the weapon is clear of any ammunition before handling, so no negligence or unsafe practice can happen. To do this, remove the magazine and pull the working parts to the rear to inspect the chamber and make sure it’s clear of any rounds [1]. Once you’re happy it is clear, ease the springs and strip it apart. Next, find the two retaining pins holding the body of the weapon together and push them through; these pins will stay in place in the body. Break the weapon open into two pieces and expose the gas parts in the guts [2]. When placing any weapon down with pins protruding ensure you lay it down with pins uppermost – this stops any wear and tear on the pin. From the exposed rear, pull out the guts by pulling the cocking handle to the rear, pressing in on the lever as you do so – the bolt assembly will come with it – and pull them out of the weapon. Remove the firing pin retaining pin, the firing pin, cam stud and then the bolt with the extractor and ejector on [3]. These can also be easily stripped off for weapon maintenance – but it is not part of normal, daily cleaning; if you do strip the small bits, ensure you keep them somewhere safe! Laid out on a cloth or clean surface in the order you took it apart, clean the whole of the weapon; ensure all brass filings, grease, grime and dirt are removed and while doing so inspect it for any damage or sign of rust. Check the serial numbers correspond with the others on the weapon. Inspect the barrel for any sign of pitting or rust [4], give it a good pull through with a flannelette, then check for any obstruction before continuing. Once you are happy with the barrel’s condition, pull the barrel through again, this time with light oil. Check the body of the weapon for anything that does not belong there; regular firing will cause a build-up of carbon, grime and filings – remove all of this with a clean dry cloth. Check that screws are in place, springs are fitted correctly, buttons and levers are doing the job, and look at the magazine housing to ensure that there are no dents or damage. Once happy that the whole weapon is cleaned, lightly oil all metal bearing surfaces – the parts where metal meets metal – such as any moving parts and springs. Check any screws, bolts and attachments are secure and as they should be, then re-assemble. Finally, check that the safety catch and shotselect lever work and that sears are engaging as they should.
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[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
SKILLS ROOM | BILLY BASICS
Safe Harbour Billy explores the defensive position known as the platoon harbour
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ome people call it camping with guns – but in reality, a platoon harbour is so much more. As with anything in the army, there are drills to follow, principles to remember, and a set way of doing things. The platoon harbour is also an excellent drill for airsoft events, providing 360-degree security, while hopefully getting everyone in the mood for a good game. Here I want to look at a simple method for setting one up. A platoon or troop harbour is an opportunity for platoons to get into a defensive position in order to prepare for a new mission, have a rest after a long time in the field, or receive a re-supply, either by air or ground. Essentially, it involves forming a temporary base location where no physical base exists, securing it, and while six guys are on stag, the other 24 can either get their heads down or plan the next move. When a platoon of 30 men is on the move, they will have to stop every so often, for short halts or long halts. During a short halt – for calls of nature, comms checks, map checks and so on – the lads
will usually sit on their bergens or get down behind them in a big circle facing outwards with the command element in the middle so they can concentrate on what they’re doing and be confident that their backs are covered. An alternative, if getting into a big circle is not practical, is getting into a ‘herringbone’ formation, with everyone facing the opposite way to the man sitting next to him, and the lead scout and tail-end Charlie pointing front and rearwards. So why do we need to put in a harbour? Patrols are assembled for specific tasks in terms of manpower, kit and weapons. Recce patrols are small and agile, relying on stealth to achieve their mission; fighting patrols are beefed up with firepower as they’re expecting trouble. If your drills work then you’ll probably survive contact, but the plan rarely, if ever, survives contact with the enemy. The situation changes, and occasionally you’ll need to bring a few patrols together in the field, to go and give the enemy a thrashing, or to bring them together to provide mutual protection and security for a period of
planning, rest or resupply.Whatever the reason, the best way to do this, if you don’t have a building/compound to occupy, is with a harbour. There are a number of different formations, such as a linear harbour (two or three straight lines side by side) or a triangular one (three sections around the HQ element). The following drill has been tried and tested by the British Army for years, and it’s still being perfected – a work in progress you might say.
Step 1: Selection When you’re given your mission, you’ll have to choose a site for your harbour, initially from a map or air photo. You might be fortunate enough to have access to previous patrol reports or even talk to the guys who were on the patrol, but don’t count on it. Nine times out of ten you’ll have to choose it from a map, and you should try and find an alternative as well, just in case. Ideally you should site it near a water source – somewhere with good escape routes that offers decent cover and good
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“The clearance patrols are looking for likely approach routes for the enemy, and other threats to the harbour that might have been missed in the recce”
comms back to base. But you want to ensure that your site is far from habitation, main roads, known enemy positions, main ridges or jungle tracks. Also, make sure the location is not obvious or conspicuous.
Step 2: Recce The recce may have to wait until you’re on the ground with your men behind you – or you might get an opportunity to visit the site on another patrol. The first thing you need to do as you near the site is to get the men into a defensive position and conduct a snap ambush to make sure you have not been followed – then you’ll move forward to conduct your recce. If you’ve had a chance to visit the site and
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it’s suitable, you’ll still need to conduct a confirmatory recce if you haven’t had eyes-on, as you can’t guarantee that it’ll be unoccupied. The formation we’ll use for this harbour will be a triangle, with each section of eight men occupying one side, and the HQ element in the centre. So, the commander and his signaller will take each section commander forward on the recce, and will leave them there when he returns to bring the rest of the men forward. You move forward and, to your relief, the area is suitable. If it were totally unsuitable you’d return to the group and continue the patrol to the location of the alternative and start again.
You give each of the section commanders the locations of their sides of the triangle and, while you and your signaller do a comms check, the section commanders will set up a perimeter wire (usually string), along which the sections will walk to get to their positions. Picture a triangle upside down standing on its tip; the harbour will be set up with the entry point at the six o’clock position, with the two other points at 10 and two. Once each section is in the harbour and occupying a side, each section will mount a stag/guard on one of these points.
Step 3: The Occupation The section commanders have done
SKILLS ROOM | BILLY BASICS
you’re in proximity to the bad guys, and you’re tired and wet. Once you’re all in and the lads are behind their bergens and on their belt buckles, you should have a silent soak period of about 30 minutes to ensure you are alone.
Step 4: The Routine
their bit, and it’s time for you to return with your signaller to bring the men in. You leave the section commanders at the 6 o’clock position, to keep eyes on the area, and bring the remainder of the platoon in behind you sometime later. The platoon will be in section order of march, so that when they’re met by their section commanders they’ll peel off and he’ll place them where he wants them. These drills take time to master, and you should never attempt this without a rigorous rehearsal – because until they’ve done noisy and silent rehearsals and actually laid in their positions, some of them just won’t get it. You’ll have men all over the shop, which is a bloody nightmare when it’s dark and
Once you’re satisfied you haven’t been followed, it’s time to get the guys settled down, either working or resting – but there are a few things you need to do first, such as send out clearance patrols and post sentries. If it’s almost dark, given the possibility of clearance patrols making lots of noise, the commander might elect to leave it until the morning. If not, he’ll send two men out from each section to clear the front of their side of the triangle. They will leave one end of their line and come back in the other, so you’ll need to ensure that everybody knows what’s going on, and you don’t have a blue on blue – another way of saying friendly fire! The clearance patrols are looking for likely approach routes for the enemy, and other threats to the harbour that might have been missed in the recce. I was involved in one on an exercise in Denmark, where the commander hadn’t noticed a
path about 10 metres in front of the 2 o’clock position. At night, the sentry was sitting at apex under his basha, keeping his eyes and ears peeled, but during the day he pushed forward to the limit of sound, with a bit of comms cord linking him to another man at either 6, 10 or 2 o’clock, so that if he saw anything he could yank the cord and alert the guys. Picture the scene: the sentry had pushed out and gone over this path as well, because he hadn’t noticed it either, and he lies there for about 20 minutes. He also had the bright idea to tie the comms cord to his boot. The guy back at the 2 o’clock position tied his end of the cord to his bergen. Right on cue, a horse came thumping along this pathway and went over the cord. Both the Bergen and soldier were dragged out of the bushes, and the horse threw the rider who fell on the soldier, The rest of the platoon were in stitches, until about 20 minutes later when we had about 100 Danish National Guard on our tails! We tried to outrun them, but they were gaining, so we ditched our bergens and took off only to be pursued for about two days. Anyway, I hope this brief saunter through the platoon harbour was of some use. See you next time. Billy Out.
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SPRINGING THE TRAP Pro-Tact’s Andy Nightingale looks at how to co-ordinate and spring a successful ambush
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n nearly all the airsoft games I’ve attended, I have seen or been part of some kind of ambush. The ambush, when done right, is probably the most devastating kind of attack you can make on an opposing force. They are simple to set up and execute on the skirmish field – but a well-organised and deliberate ambush is more than just a bunch of guys lying in a ditch waiting for the enemy to wander by. An effective ambush is a surprise attack, delivered by a force lying in wait, upon a moving or temporarily halted enemy. When initiated, the ambush is usually a brief encounter conducted at comparatively close quarters. When well prepared and well executed, the ambush can cause heavy casualties and a serious loss of morale among the enemy. However, poor planning, preparation and execution may result in total failure and even a serious loss to the ambushing party. Of the many types of patrol, the ambush is among the most challenging to take part in – as it involves teamwork, fitness, cunning, and discipline on everyone’s part. There are three main types of ambush: deliberate, immediate (or snap) and unmanned. Deliberate ambushes are organised well in advance, allowing sufficient time for planning and preparation by all involved. Immediate ambushes come in response to ‘hot’ information. You will have little or no time for a recce or planning during a snap ambush.
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The unmanned ambush, meanwhile, uses improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and mines to execute the kill.
Ambush Sites We can’t just put in an ambush anywhere we choose. There are many considerations to take into account. Suitable places for ambushes include known enemy patrol routes; admin areas and supply/water points; places where a change in vegetation occurs, such as the junction of forest and grassland; and approaches to your own bases and defensive positions. In counterinsurgency operations, the approaches to villages, cultivated areas, and food dumps are particularly suitable. The ambush site must be chosen to minimise the chances of a surprise counterattack, though the ambushers must be prepared to meet an enemy attack with maximum security and firepower. Ambushes require good intelligence of enemy location, and should only be set when there is a good chance of contact with the enemy. Recces must be carefully planned and thorough, and all the main actions of the ambush must be well rehearsed. A careless recce will betray the position of the ambush.
Grouping and Planning All ambush parties are sub-divided into killing groups and cut-off groups, each with their own leaders. Killing groups cover the chosen
killing ground and spring the ambush. They contain the ambush commander and the rifle group. Size varies, but normally the group will number four men in a section ambush, and will consist of three sections and platoon HQ in a platoon ambush. Cut-offs, meanwhile, give warning of an enemy approach, cut off his line of retreat, or help defeat an enemy counter-attack from a flank. In a section ambush, the group will consist of two men, and in a platoon ambush each group will be of section strength. Prior to giving out his preliminary orders, the commander should, if possible, carry
SKILLS ROOM | AMBUSH TACTICS out a recce of the ambush site. Sometimes, however, he will be limited simply to studying air photographs, maps, patrol reports and so on. If possible, he should try to observe the ground from the enemy point of view. He should also select and assign the killing area and the positions of the killing group and cut off groups, including the detailed location of the squad automatic weapon (SAW), booby traps, trip flares and so on. The position of each group should offer concealment, even in the case of the groups’ approach routes, and a good view of the killing area and the enemy approaches. The commander must also confirm the location of the final rendezvous point (FRV), and the withdrawal routes.
AMBUSH TIP When planning and executing an ambush, it always pays to remember the following mnemonic: A - Advance preparation M - Maximum firepower B - Battle discipline U - Unseen, unheard S - Security, simplicity, speed H - Home run
Orders, Preparation, Rehearsal
© Official Navy Page 2013
The ambush commander should be thorough in briefing his party, using a model to assist him. This should leave enough time for preparation and rehearsals. Orders will be similar to those used for a normal patrol, but with crucial extra detail, including action at the arrival to the FRV, action in the ambush area, action on the approach of the enemy, and the routine for withdrawal to the FRV. It is crucial that the groups know the order of march in the ambush area, the method of entry and the positioning of groups – and also additional details, such as the signal for ‘ambush set’ and also warning signals from the cut-off groups. Before embarking on a successful ambush, thorough preparation is essential. All weapons and special equipment (such as ropes and night vision units) should be cleaned and tested. Radios and comms kit should be fitted with new batteries, and
spare ones should be available at all times. Camouflage will likely play a role somewhere, so prepare how you are going to conceal your clothing and equipment. Once you’ve prepared, it’s important to carry out a rehearsal. If you are conducting a night ambush, then carry out rehearsals by day and by night. Rehearsals give a chance to show where each group needs to be in relation to each other and to test signals and communications. You can also, crucially, prepare for springing the ambush and withdrawing to the FRV.
Moving Out and Occupying The ambush party does not move directly into the ambush position – but stops short at the FRV, forming a tight defensive perimeter, and waiting while the ambush commander and the
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SKILLS ROOM | AMBUSH TACTICS
cut-off group commanders do their final recce of the ambush site. There may be a need for brief confirmatory orders due to last minute changes brought about by the final recce. This is more likely by night than by day. Having completed his recce, unless he has to return to the FRV to give confirmatory orders, the ambush commander will normally remain in the ambush position, sending the cut-off group commanders back to bring up the remainder of his command. In the case of a platoon operation, sentries from both the cut-off and killing groups are taken forward and placed in their respective positions during the recce, and will remain there throughout the move forward to the ambush area. Cut-off groups, followed by the killing groups, enter the area on the same axis, and move into their positions. The ambush commander is normally in the centre of the killing group. Once all the groups are in position, the cut-off groups will start to lay communication cord to the ambush commander’s position. Any trip flairs and booby traps are set by the work party. When the commander receives the signal from each group that all are back in their positions, he will then give the signal for ‘ambush set’. After this time, no one leaves his position. Care must be taken not to give the ambush away; you must select a comfortable position and remain in it without undue movement or noise for the whole of the duration of the ambush.
Springing the Ambush On sighting the enemy, the cut-off group will alert the ambush commander of their approach and direction using the communications
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cord. The ambush commander will alert the remainder of his force by passing a physical signal along the line. Weapons are then carefully brought up into the aim, taking care not to rustle the undergrowth or make any noise and unnecessary movement that may give your position away. The ambush commander will spring the ambush when as many enemies as possible are in the killing area. The signal for springing the ambush will be one of the following: a burst from the SAW; a shot from the commander’s weapon; or the ignition of a trip flare, in conjunction with a burst from the SAW. The signal is never the commander shouting ‘fire’! The subsequent firefight will be short and sharp. Everyone will hit the killing area with full automatic fire from his weapon. The commander then regains control by shouting ‘stop’ or ‘cease fire’ or blowing a signal from a whistle. After everyone has reloaded, there must be silence from the entire ambush group while everyone listens for movement by any enemy not killed or wounded. In the event of any enemy trip flares or light, if time allows, get away. Otherwise freeze. At night you should close one eye to preserve night vision and take advantage of the light. If a trip flare is activated then move away from the area as quickly as possible; get down and observe the area. If the ambush patrol is itself ambushed by the enemy at any point, the only solution is to scatter and move individually to the previously-arranged RV. Make sure that you know the location of the last RV and that you know the password. Assuming you don’t encounter any problems, and the ambush is successful, then
at this stage the search party can move in. This will usually be led by the ambush second-incommand, and will consist of men from the killing group. The search party will go forward to check for enemy prisoners, documents and other significant items. This is normally done by day only, since all movement at night forward of the ambush is deemed to be enemy activity. Careful control regarding safety is absolutely essential when the search party goes forwards of the ambush. Finally, on receiving the signal to bug out, all groups withdraw to the FRV. Minimum time is spent here to ensure that everyone is present, and that there is no enemy follow-up, before moving off by the return route. Withdrawal to the FRV is normally led by the killing group, followed by the cut-off groups.
Conclusion The ambush is a very detailed and complex procedure when executed on a large and deliberate scale – but they can also be very easy to set and execute with devastating effect on a small scale. There is a lot of planning and preparation that goes into a deliberate ambush, but snap ambushes can be set at any moment in an airsoft game with just the same effect. You don’t have to go to the extremes that the professionals go through when airsofting, but do take note of the discipline that is required by all the team members to be successful. Remember that light and noise must be kept to a minimum and that you should have rear security at all times when the ambush is set. Also make sure that you choose a site with easy access, as you will need to extract from your position the same way and with some haste. Have fun and stay safe.
COLD WAR WARRIOR | CHEMICAL WARFARE
CHEMICAL WARFARE PART II In the second part of his look at NBC kit, Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey turns his attention to the British Army
T
he nightmare threat of nuclear warfare was a dominant feature for both sides during the Cold War, and for this reason the British soldier of the 1980s was well equipped to deal with the worst the Russians could imaginably throw at him. Indeed, while over the years the British Army has frequently found itself underequipped in comparison to its NATO counterparts, one field in which it has led the way for decades is chemical defence. In last month’s Cold War Warrior, I looked at the cumbersome and unpleasant Sovietdesigned L1 suit – a system of rubberised heavyweight items designed to protect the wearer from the perils of nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) warfare. This month, I’ll take a look at its British counterpart. The British Army had been issuing chemical protection kit in the form of gasmasks and anti-gas capes since the 1930s, but it was not really until the advent
of Soviet atomic warfare in the 1950s that the MOD started to take the threat of NBC warfare seriously. By the 1960s, fully-enclosed NBC suits and modernised gas masks were becoming part of the squaddie’s standard kit – but it was in the 1970s that the British soldier became equipped with world-leading equipment. Though the MOD realised that NBC warfare would be an intrinsic part of a future world war, suits were issued with no provision made in the webbing system to carry them. By the 1980s, the standard chemical defence for the British soldier was the MKIII NBC suit and the S6 service respirator, which were ground-breaking at the time, and possibly the most comfortable system in existence – comfort being a relative concept. It was still an incredibly hot and uncomfortable suit to wear. In British service, the NBC set is traditionally worn in a series of ‘dress states’,
ranging from ‘zero’ (no equipment worn and respirator in haversack), to ‘four’ (full suit worn, including over-boots and gloves, and with the hood up). The addition of the code word ‘Romeo’ to the dress code implied the respirator was to be worn as well.
World-Leading Equipment The MKIII suit initially came as a two-piece outfit consisting of a jacket and trousers in a deep, bottle-green shade – and towards the end of its service life examples were issued in DPM camouflage. The suit featured in this month’s Cold War Warrior is a 1985-dated MKIII suit in said camouflage pattern, and something of a rare beast as most were produced in green. The suit’s trousers are supported by internal cloth braces and the jacket is a pullover type with a drawstring closure to create a seal around the respirator. Later MKIV suits featured a full zip closure on the front to aid rapid donning or removal
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of the suit. In addition to the suit, the soldier of the 80s would also carry a pair of rubber over-boots and (as with his East German counterpart in last month’s issue) two pairs of protective gloves: a white inner pair to absorb sweat and a heavy rubber outer pair. Finishing off the NBC protective outfit was the aforementioned S6 respirator – a respirator worn by the SAS when they stormed the Iranian Embassy in 1980. The S6 featured a removable filter on the side and a speech module to the front. Both left- and right-handed versions were available, as the SLR issued at the time could be fired from either shoulder. But unlike its successor (the S10), it had no provision to allow a soldier to drink without removing the mask. The S6 was carried at first in a webbing respirator case, but later, as the MOD realised that webbing was near impossible to decontaminate in a NBC battle, a butyl nylon carrier. While this made the respirator case more practical in chemically hazardous environments, the rest of the soldier’s 58-pattern webbing would have been near impossible to clean up and would need to be destroyed. Experiments were made with sets of butyl nylon webbing that were easier to decontaminate (the short lived 72 pattern), but these were found to be unsuitable as buckles and straps slipped and the webbing itself could be fatal if it caught fire. Within the respirator haversack, alongside the S6, rested: a spare filter for the mask; decontamination powder; ‘blot bang rub’ pads to absorb excess hazardous chemical droplets; chemical detection paper, which would change colour on contact with harmful agents; and emergency atropine syringes, or ‘combipens’. Storing anything else in the respirator haversack was technically a chargeable offence, but many squaddies found room for small comforts and ‘non regulation’ kit in this cavernous haversack.
Wearing The MKIII Suit Donning the suit is theoretically simple, but as with all NBC kit, somewhat tiring. Firstly, the trousers are pulled on over the normal combat uniform (the suit is
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COLD WAR WARRIOR | CHEMICAL WARFARE
only effective when worn over a standard DPM uniform and underwear), and the cloth braces crossed over the shoulders and tied. The smock is then pulled over the head and adjusted. Assuming that the chemical threat is severe, the over-boots are secured over the soldier’s combat boots, and the trousers secured over the over-boots and tapered in with the Velcro ties. Lastly, the poor soldier puts on his cotton inner gloves and heavy rubber outer gloves. Upon NBC attack, the respirator is donned. This should be put on by placing the chin in the bottom of the respirator and then pulling it back over one’s head, in order to ensure that any droplets that may have fallen on your head are not pulled down over your face). The firm seal is then secured around the hood and respirator via the smock’s drawcords. Fully suited, the soldier can then replace his webbing and/or helmet. Last month, we reviewed the heavy,
rubberised L1 East German suit, and found it hard to sustain over the short length of a photo shoot wearing it! The MKIII British Suit is nowhere near as bad, being composed of semi-permeable layered fabrics with an activated charcoal liner… but it’s still damn warm! The NATO charcoal-lined suit system is somewhat less durable than the Soviet suits – it had an estimated eight hours life span in the worst conditions the Warsaw Pact could throw at it – and British soldiers would carry at least one sealed vacuum pack spare in their rucksacks, and a ‘ready-to-wear suit’ on their webbing.
Tactical Nuclear Strikes As previously mentioned, the 58 webbing system had no provision for carrying this ‘ready suit’ – and suit carriers were improvised out of spare poncho roll carriers or trousers legs cut from combat trousers and ‘bungeed’ to the back of the webbing. All of this was essential, as the British Army fully expected to fight WWIII ‘suited up’. While both sides were unlikely to enter a full nuclear war, NATO knew that the Warsaw Pact would bombard its rear areas and supply lines with chemical agents to slow NATO down by forcing them into NBC suits, and that NATO itself would most likely use ‘tactical’ nuclear weapons of a
limited yield to try to even out the massive superiority in men and armoured vehicles that the Soviets possessed. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, British squaddies would spend weeks living in ‘NBC conditions‘ out on the West German plains, and the legendary training manual ‘Survive to Fight’ covered comprehensively how to live, sleep and survive in hellish conditions. All of this hard training eventually paid off in a postCold War world, when British troops sent to the Gulf to combat Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi army spent most of the advance to Baghdad in NBC suits, as the coalition firmly believed Hussein would use chemical weapons against them. As with last month’s Cold War Warrior, we don’t expect you to do too many skirmishes in NBC kit, but it has been done before at Cold War and MilSim games – but only by the truly hardcore. MKIII suits are also somewhat hard to find in good condition and good sizes these days, as for many years they were the staple ‘hire kit’ of many paintball and airsoft sites, and most are now in a fairly sorry state. MKIV suits and the later S10 respirator are still reasonably cheap and easy to source though and, with the current climate in south-east Asia, they might just end up being a worthwhile investment!
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It’s one of the most acclaimed strategy series ever, so Alex Wharton was eager to get stuck into the latest Starcraft
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’ve been playing the Starcraft games for nearly 14 years now – the first one came out back in 1998 and is one of the best-selling PC games of all time. Blizzard built Starcraft on the back of its already award-winning strategy series Warcraft, taking what worked well and polishing it to a mirror shine. While not the only great strategy game of the time (Total Annihilation or Age of Empires for example, both out a year earlier) Starcraft gave us three vastly different races to enjoy, and simplified the controls to make it a joy to play. The original is still, to
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this day, used in competitions around the world. The game is set around a war between three distinct races. First are the Terrans, human descendants from Earth, now living all across the galaxy. The Terrans get to fight with space marines, huge tanks, and robots. Of the three races, they are the easiest to jump into. Next are the Protoss, a race of humanoid aliens who fight for the greater good of the galaxy and follow a strict religion. The Protoss focus on expensive but powerful units. Finally, there are the Zerg, an insectoid like race that share a singular mind and
want nothing but to consume all. The Zerg get everything, from the tiniest small melee Zergling up to massive walking tanks. The original Starcraft contained a single story that spanned three campaigns. Each of the campaigns was played under a different race, thus you saw the story from all sides. From Starcraft 2, Blizzard has instead chosen to give us three larger games by splitting each campaign into its own release. Earlier this year, the second of these games, Heart of the Swarm, was released – which continued the story started in Wings of Liberty.
MEDIA REVIEW | STARCRAFT 2 In that game, the story followed Jim Raynor and his Terran army on the quest to stop the Zerg invasion, work out what the shadowy Protoss are up to, and save his old flame. In Heart of the Swarm, we focus on the character Kerrigan, Queen of Blades, who is now using her ties and control of the Zerg to exact revenge. It’s a pretty convoluted and twisting story, but it’s told extremely well through cut-scenes and in-game conversations between different characters. Don’t worry if you are completely new to the universe either, there is an intro movie you can watch that fills in all the details. I’d recommend it even if you aren’t new, as it’s an awesome clip to watch. Blizzard has always had the best cut-scenes in my opinion, and Heart of the Swarm continues this fashion. Some of the clips will leave your jaws on the floor with just how epic they are. The attention to detail is always impressively high and, thankfully, Blizzard has added a feature to the front screen that allows you to rewatch any of them once you have reached that point in the game. The in-game graphics are crisp and sharp, allowing you to focus on what’s needed and what’s on the screen. While some might see it as simple, you can zoom in, and the level of detail on units when up close is great. Any fight you get into will still look awesome. Units explode as they die, or are ripped to shreds
by machine-gun fire. Rockets shoot around the screen, and the Zerg chase down enemies, trying to close the gap to get into melee range. The engine isn’t too demanding either, and I found that it ran extremely well on my system, even with everything maxed out as high as it could go! However, the machine I play on is pretty decent – but I have an ancient laptop that played Wings of Liberty absolutely fine. There was only once that it suffered a slowdown, and that was because a story moment spawned 200 Zerglings at once! Gameplay, as with most strategy games, is from a top down,
omniscient view, with a mini-map in the lower left corner, build/unit options in lower right, and resources at the top. These are standards that many strategy games have followed for years now – so it’s nothing new, but it works well. It’s easy to see what you are buying/building and, with the addition of hotkeys, you can do pretty much everything imagineable with impressive speed. As the game progresses, you will also gain access to ‘Evolution’ missions. The Zerg live to consume and evolve to better themselves. These evolution missions get you access to new strains of a particular
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MEDIA REVIEW | STARCRAFT 2
“You can summon a massive Leviathan, which will fly around for three minutes destroying everything”
unit. You then have to decide which you like and discard the other. For example, the first you get access to is the ‘tiny Zerglings’ evolution. You can either go with a strain that allows them to jump up and down cliffs and launch themselves at enemies, or opt for the ability to spawn three-per-build for the same cost. I went with the latter, as combined with Kerrigan’s ability to grant instant Zergling spawns, I could make a very large army in seconds, handy in a pinch.
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Another notable evolution is the Ultralisk. A walking tank of a creature, it can gain the ability to resurrect when it dies. It’s already the toughest thing you can build, and now it’s near unstoppable. In each mission you also have access to characters. This is usually Kerrigan, as the story centres around her. These characters are immensely formidable and have powers on top of their usual attacks. Once fully levelled up, Kerrigan can summon a massive Leviathan, for example,
which will basically just fly around for three minutes destroying pretty much everything in sight. If you haven’t played these games before, or aren’t really into strategy games, I really do urge you to give this a go. On the easier modes you won’t be truly challenged, so you can enjoy the story, however jumping up the difficulty will punish you if you are unsure in your footing. The story alone is worth playing; if only they would make a movie! I know it wouldn’t be as good, but I can always dream. Now, I was always a diehard Terran player, however after storming a few bases as the Zerg, rolling in with a wall of chitin-armoured, sharp teethand-claw nasties, I have to say I’m a little hooked on their way of playing. It’s almost simpler – just build lots and swamp them. They don’t call it a Zerg rush for nothing you know!
INFORMATION & PRICE Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm
DEVELOPED BY: Blizzard Entertainment PUBLISHED BY: Blizzard Entertainment PLATFORMS: Windows, OS X PRICE: ~ £25
WORKSHOP | AIRSOFT SYSTEMS UPGRADES
eastern promises
Bulgarian brand Airsoft Systems promise PTW-like performance from any AEG with their new upgrades. Scott Allan finds out if they deliver the goods
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lectronics in airsoft have been on the rise over the years – though, for a long time, Systema solidly held the crown and nothing came close. Tokyo Marui dabbled, but it never really went mainstream. However, in recent years Systema’s market share has slowly but surely diminished, as other companies attempt to recreate or re-innovate airsoft electronics. Airsoft Systems is a Bulgarian-based company that has taken the European airsoft market by storm. They promise to turn your standard rifle into a PTW-like weapon for a reasonable cost. Given that the Systema PTW carries a £1,000-plus price tag, and the magazines cost around £30 a pop, this seems like a pipedream for many airsofters. Indeed, few upgrade kits have been as eagerly anticipated as Airsoft Systems’ Hop Unit and GEN 3 Control Unit. But is a third-
party offering that revolutionises your current platform too good to be true? Let’s find out…
ASCU GEN 3 This new offering is the third incarnation of the ASCU – or Airsoft Smart Control Unit – which is suited exclusively to version 2 gearboxes. The V2 is the main gearbox used in M4/M16s and the MP5 range – so if you have a G36 or an AK-47/74 then I’m afraid you’re out of luck in this case. However, there has been talk of a version 3-compatible unit – but at this stage it’s not confirmed.
In simple terms, the ASCU is a two-piece electronic module, consisting of a control unit and a sensor unit, which increases the performance of a standard AEG. The sensor unit replaces the gun’s original switch group, and monitors the actual position of the sector gear, fire selector and trigger. This information is passed to the CPU, which controls the AEG’s motor using an active brake MOSFET. The kit itself consists of the ASCU board and switch, a polymer cut-off lever, a polymer selector plate, heatsink paste, an insulating pad, and a trigger spacer. So what is new in the GEN 3? Significantly, the board has been made smaller and more compact – and all the parts are now contained inside the gearbox. This allows it to be fitted into stock tubes that have less space, including the Magpul UBR and the PRS.
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contacts on the unit for safe, semi, and auto modes, the GEN 3 uses small micro switches. The GEN 3 micro-switch trigger switch is smaller and doesn’t seem to have as positive a ‘click’ as the GEN 2 version. However, the programmes within the board remain unchanged for firing – though the empty magazine detection on the GEN 2 only had an on/off setting, whereas the GEN 3 has off, on, or on with bolt release. A big positive is the instructions. All too often we find instructions saying something helpful like ‘thank you for purchasing the kit; please now build it somehow’. The Airsoft Systems manual features clear, step-bystep instructions in proper English – with no comical ‘Chinglish’ statements to be found. So while the skill level required to fit the unit is maybe slightly beyond your average player, anyone with a little bit of technical know-how and confidence should still be able to fit it given enough time and care. However, it is not a rush job, and you should be prepared to put in a little extra work for it to fit your specific rifle. All in all, Airsoft Systems have presented some new features with the GEN 3 ASCU, but fitting is now more difficult. The trigger does not seem to be as responsive as the GEN 2 version, which is strange. The biggest plus is the compact size and the extra compatibility with the Airsoft Systems Hop-Up Unit.
The Hop-Up Unit The long-awaited Airsoft Systems electronic hop-up unit detects when the magazine is empty – and promises to be an improvement on the standard M4 hop unit, while offering compatibility with the ASCU. It features plastic construction, a wired bolt-release pad for the bolt catch, and an AK-style hopHowever, there are problems with the new unit. For example, fitting it into a G&P gearbox is a right royal pain! The reinforced gearbox case, a great gearbox case by all measures, requires dremelling to grind it down to fit the unit – which places increased demands on the skill level and tools required for fitting. The unit board also needs trimming down to fit the uneven surface inside the gearbox case. I found that the provided cut-off lever didn’t work well, so had to modify the original G&P lever to make it work. The wiring on the GEN 2 was also longer. Soldering the connectors on the GEN 3 isn’t possible, and it leaves less room for connecting. Interestingly, where the GEN 2 used metal
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WORKSHOP | AIRSOFT SYSTEMS UPGRADES to fit it to. If you have the skills, this could be fitted to a MP5 for example. So can Joe Bloggs fit one? Yes, but even a trained technician will need to set aside two or three hours to allow for fiddling and tinkering with the set up. No two rifles accept it the same way – and that is always the problem with any third party parts. This may put a few people off having them fitted, but it shouldn’t. I would personally advise that these are best fitted by a professional. Sometimes getting it right is worth it, and I am a firm believer in making tough jobs someone else’s problem, which is why we have people with skills after all!
Conclusion So, does this upgrade give me a Systema in a standard rifle? To be honest – yes, it pretty much does! With the right motor and gearing set up, you can have everything a Systema PTW promises and (weirdly enough) I have even heard AEGs with this upgrade sound identical to a PTW. However, I do not wish to undermine the PTW, as it is the pinnacle of out-of-thebox airsoft engineering (apart from the motors). What you should have, if this is all fitted correctly, is a realistic stop-on-empty and working bolt catch, which allows you to go all Costa-licious. While it may seem like I have given this upgrade a bit of a bashing in places, I’m reporting the truth from my experience of fitting around 30 of these units in a short space of time. I probably fitted around 100 GEN 2 units before that! With the Airsoft Systems upgrade, you can build a truly great platform with good trigger response that will stop on empty. Just don’t be surprised if you are testing extensively with a few take-downs to get it right.
“Anyone with a little bit of technical know-how and confidence should be able to fit it given enough time and care” adjuster arm instead of the classic wheel. It moves in ‘clicks’ and works with both the GEN 2 and GEN 3 ASCU. This sounds good on paper, but it’s not all plain sailing. For a start, forget fitting this to an ICS. But that aside, I encountered a multitude of other problems across a variety of set-ups. One of the main ones is that the hop unit forces the barrel towards the gearbox. This gives a better fps due to the more efficient air seal – but the downside is that it creates feeding issues in some rifles. The solution is to grind the start of the barrel down to move the rubber forward. This is not an issue I have really seen before with other hop units. Hop rubbers can also be forced to fold by the BBs feeding, caused by the barrel
being seated too far in the hop unit. When fitted in certain G&P rifles, the hop adjuster arm can get caught up on the fake bolt, meaning more fine filing is required to allow everything to sit just perfect. The inner diameter of this hop unit is wider than most others. Madbull 60 degree and G&G cold-resistant hop rubbers are normally the thick types, and even they sat with plenty of space. The best fix was to wrap PTFE tape around to ensure a safe seating for the whole assembly. I also found that the switch in the unit could be a nightmare – and often opted to cut out and fit it to the original hop unit rather than using the ASHU provided. But this is also true of non-M4s you could wish
INFORMATION & PRICES Airsoft Systems Upgrades
ASCU GEN 3: £80 ELECTRONIC HOP-UP UNIT: £30 AVAILABLE FROM: Land Warrior Airsoft WEB: www.landwarriorairsoft.com
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M.E.T UNITS G&G have come up with a completely different type of airsoft target. We asked Andy Nightingale to try them out
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hen I heard about the new electronic target system from G&G I jumped at the chance to review it. Being a professional firearms instructor, I am always on the lookout for new and different targets to train with. With the current law on handguns, we have to use airsoft weapons to train within the UK, and they have served very well during our programmes. At times, though, the training
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can get a bit boring due to the repetitive nature of the work – so something innovative like G&G’s system is always welcome. When I opened the box that arrived at my home, I was surprised to find something quite unlike any target I had seen before. G&G have called the product the M.E.T. unit – or Multifunctional Electronic Target. Manufactured by the Taiwanese brand, I knew they would have a high build quality – as we have been using G&G weapons and products at Pro-Tact for many years without any issues. The targets are supplied in a pack of five – and resemble small CCTV-type dome cameras. They’re supplied in a cardboard carton slid inside a clear bubble-type tube – which
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THE ARMOURY | G&G M.E.T TARGETS
“The chaps in the Practical Action Shooting section of my home range gave them the thumbs up as a fun way to train, and also they love the fact that they can use both airsoft handguns and rifles on the targets” will look great in a shop display, but won’t offer much protection while in storage or transport. The instructions for use are printed in a full colour, pictorial format on the box, though I would have preferred a separate booklet or sheet of paper, as I felt the box would soon fall apart or get thrown away. The individual M.E.T. units are high quality, as one would expect from G&G, with an eye-catching finish. Four of the targets have a black protective skirt around the base, while the fifth is supplied with a bright yellow skirt that identifies it as the ‘master’ target when
programmed and in use. Each unit has a light green silicone dome on the top, which acts as the target strike area. This dome offers a 360-degree target face that will withstand hits between 0.2–2J, so they will easily take shots from any UK-legal airsoft weapon. Inside each dome is a red and blue LED that provides a visual indication to the shooter that the target is either functioning and on standby (blue), or hit (red). The main body houses the batteries (4xAAA, supplied) and a speaker that emits a sounds when the targets are struck. The batteries are located in the
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THE ARMOURY | G&G M.E.T TARGETS
base of the target, but there is no indication as to which way round the batteries should face – but applying the general rule that the minus end should touch the spring does the trick. The batteries are installed by removing the rubber skirt and opening a small cover, and once inserted, this cover is replaced, and the rubber skirt refitted. Located in the protective rubber skirt are two flaps. One flap has a reboot button behind it, and the other has two sockets that allow you to link other targets together via a 50cm ribbon cable, which is also supplied. The cables allow all five targets to be linked together – but G&G states that up to 25 can be linked up with a maximum of 15 metres of wiring between targets. Once linked together, the targets allow the user to choose between four different operation modes. Competition is the default mode, in which all the targets show a blue light, indicating they’re on standby and ready to go. When the first target is hit it will turn red, and all the other targets’ blue lights will go out. This is an ideal mode for fast-draw training against others. Once the target has been shot the targets have to be reset manually, which is a bit of a pain, as I would have preferred the system to reset itself in this mode.
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In Versus mode, only the master target (the yellow one) shows a blue light to indicate it is in standby mode. Once the master target has been hit it will flash five times, then all the targets will turn blue. When any one of the targets is hit it will turn red and the gameplay will reset automatically. In Random mode the master target displays a blue light, with the other targets in standby mode. As soon as the blue light has been hit, another target will show a blue light indicating that that is the next target to be hit. This sequence is repeated randomly giving the shooter a chance to test out their visual response skills. We like this one at Pro-Tact – although the time it takes the targets to change from one to the other is a bit slow. If the time between targets lighting up could be shortened, or even randomised, this would be even better. In Practice mode all the targets display a blue light to begin with. When each target is hit, it turns red, with the last target flashing red to indicate the end of the run. When all the targets have been hit the program will automatically reset for the next game. The programs are easy to select via the small reboot button located behind the rubber protective skirt. There is also a noise to
accompany each hit. This noise can also be changed, with four optional sound effects. I don’t think the M.E.T Targets have a place in competitions as such. If they did, they would be limited in their use – but as a training aid, and also as a fun target, they are great. My kids love them, as they are different to any other targets out there – and they can shoot with the range lights out! The chaps in the Practical Action Shooting section of my home range gave them the thumbs up as a fun way to train, and also they love the fact that they can use both airsoft handguns and rifles on the targets. The fact that they have to be wired together puts me off a little for professional use, but as a fun target they are ideal: a solid multifunctional system that will last a long time and give hours of enjoyment on the range.
INFORMATION & PRICE G&G Multifunctional Electronic Targets (M.E.T)
PRICE: £162.50 (for a pack of five) COMPETITION: We have two sets of M.E.T units to give away absolutely free! Turn to page 8 to be in with a chance of bagging one of them
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THE ARMOURY | ZETA LABS MOSIN-NAGANT
ZETA LABS Jay Slater gets up close and personal with the rifle made famous by Soviet sniper Vasily Zaytsev
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espite being hampered by a jarring romance plot involving Rachel Weisz, 1998 film Enemy at the Gates was notable for its impressive battle scenes. In the movie, Soviet and German snipers Jude Law and Ed Harris play a game of cat and mouse within the smouldering ruins of Stalingrad – against a backdrop of Stukas dive bombing and strafing hapless Russian infantry. Particularly notable were the opening scenes of Russian soldiers charging into battle against overwhelming German firepower. As men perished in the meat grinder that was Stalingrad, such was the value of hardware over life that one soldier
was presented with a rifle, and the other a clip of ammunition. The rifle was the iconic Mosin-Nagant (aka ‘Nugget’), a boltaction, clip-loaded classic, and the Soviet equivalent of the British Lee-Enfield, the German Karabiner 98 Kurz, the Japanese Arisaka Type 99 and the US M1903 Springfield rifles – all of which saw action in WWII and beyond.
Real Steel The origins of the rifle lie in the late 1800s, when the M1891 was selected during military trials, along with two other designs, one by Mosin (a Russian army captain) and one by Nagant (a Belgian designer). Both
designs had merits, and their respective positive features were adapted into a final prototype that saw action in the First World War and the Russian Civil War (as Model 1891/1910) in three versions. In 1930, the Red Army introduced the M1891/30, a slight upgrade, and the M1938, a shorter and lighter carbine variant. By WWII, the Mosin-Nagant saw action as a sniper rifle, and an improved carbine, the M1944, was introduced for rear echelon troops and remained in production until 1955. In some parts of the world, including the Middle East, the Mosin-Nagant is still at large – not bad for a rifle over 100 years old! When it was first introduced, the Mosin-
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Nagant was reliable in the field and cheap to manufacture – ideal for the poorly trained and funded Russian army. Featuring an integral, single-stack magazine with a capacity for five rounds, the Mosin-Nagant was the most mass-produced rifle ever seen. However, it was flawed in that its sheer length was a hindrance in woodland – and the safety was uncomfortable to operate. Overall, the Mosin-Nagant was typical of period Russian engineering: simple and adequate for the job, but that’s all. For Soviets who carried this beast, the MosinNagant packed a deadly punch. It’s tough, heavy, loud, ugly in a beautiful way, cheap, historic and a whole lot of fun if you go easy on the vodka. As Germans on the Eastern Front could tell you, the steel-base stock
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of the Nugget caved in skulls. Authentic examples can be bought in the US for around $75, and some websites offer cheaper bargains where, if you buy the bayonet, they’ll throw in the Mosin-Nagant for free!
The Replica Zeta Labs have produced a number of Mosin-Nagant rifles for the airsoft market, both gas and springer. Their MkIII fulllength sniper rifle with PU scope is a recent release with an allegedly improved hop-up and a 6.03mm high-precision barrel. However, the version I have on test here is the M1944 V2 spring-powered carbine. On first impressions, it’s looking good – and at 400 smackers it should be! Constructed from full steel and wood, with a brass-
coloured metal trim, the finish is beautiful, coming with a folding plastic bayonet suitable for re-enactors. Presented in a plain cardboard box, the rifle is complemented with a Soviet-style fabric sling, a certificate stating that the internal spring has been tested to 330fps, and another spring, possibly of a stronger 500fps punch or thereabouts. Indeed, this Mosin-Nagant would appear to be a tidy package, although the carbine variant might be somewhat too small as a primary rifle for taller, long-armed players. It’s suited more towards Ruskie small fry comrades.
On Test Unfortunately, my strong initial impressions gradually faded the more I played with the Nagant. Loading the
THE ARMOURY | ZETA LABS MOSIN-NAGANT
magazine is particularly difficult. As part of a series of massive tolerance problems and poor quality control checks, Zeta Labs did not opt for a removable magazine unit. Instead a solid-state magazine is incorporated into the rifle. To load the magazine, a tight metal catch is flipped upwards. This is where it all becomes finicky and frustrating. A simple string device is pulled upwards and the BBs fed one at a time into the central housing, containing around 10 or so rounds.The string is slowly and carefully retracted, at the same time making sure that the BBs have popped into the chamber. Then you reverse the procedure by snapping the magazine hatch tight. In principle, you’re ready to go, but such a method of loading the rifle in the heat of
battle has to be questioned. A removable magazine would not have only been painless, but also more realistic – as most airsoft snipers and riflemen like magazines in their pouches. At this point, two small screws dropped onto the floor. I had no idea where they came from. In operation, the bolt was sticky and near impossible to cock. For fear of breaking the bolt, I generously sprayed silicone oil over the mechanism, but no joy. With trepidation and careful use, a series of firing tests revealed that the Zeta Labs Mosin-Nagant M1944 spring-powered rifle suffered from a terrible range and utter lack of punch. On average, BBs could not reach 60 feet. Occasionally, as if the casualty of a boozefuelled bender, a BB would roll out of the rifle and trickle lifelessly onto the ground, out for the count, arms and legs akimbo. The word ‘inconsistency’ was uttered so often it became as bruised as an old peach. A lack of hitting power, range and accuracy would suggest far less than 300fps, a possible hop-up rubber issue and/or generally inferior craftsmanship and internal materials. Depending on use, a higherrating spring might be worth considering for skirmishing.
Conclusion When all is said and done, this Soviet airsoft 6mm blunderbuss is best suited as a collector and/or re-enactment weapon. The Russians made more Nuggets than those annoying matryoshka wooden dolls (the fat chick that opens up to reveal a smaller matryoshka followed by a smaller one inside that one and you keep on going and going) – and this Iron Curtain workhorse looks the part, but is no practical beauty. Take this to the airsoft battlefields of Kursk and the Battle of Berlin, and you might as well be purged by Stalin!
INFORMATION & PRICE Zeta Labs Mosin-Nagant
OVERALL LENGTH: 1,020mm BARREL LENGTH: 480 mm WEIGHT: ~4.1kg MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 10 rounds POWER SOURCE: Spring FIRING MODE: Single shot SUPPLIED BY: Tactical Quartermaster (www.tacticalquartermaster.co.uk) PRICE: ~£400
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The Pro Airsoft Supplies team (left to right): Ben, Griff, Neville(front),Crawshaw, and Chris
GOING PRO I
It’s a major player in London’s airsoft scene, so Mike Hine went along to check out Pro Airsoft Supplies
n the current economic climate, it’s no surprise that many airsoft businesses are operating exclusively online – preferring not to risk the vagaries of physical, high street retail. However, Pro Airsoft Supplies have bucked that trend. Instead, back in December 2011, they made the bold move of opening up a shop in north London – and 18 months on, things seem to be going from strength to strength. Indeed, running a physical store has its advantages. The shopper gets a more unique customer experience, as welcoming and knowledgeable staff members can offer a more personal feel than the world of online checkouts and Paypal. Physical shops also present the opportunity to actually hold and examine the products on offer. And in the case of a niche hobby like airsoft, shops can act as a hub for the community.
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I certainly perceived a ‘community feel’ on my recent trip down to Pro Airsoft Supplies. Walking through the door of their glass-fronted, inviting shop, eager-looking punters were browsing a range of well-arrayed products – from guns to tactical gear – and conversing with the several staff members on duty. Wandering through the store, I was surprised by its size. Looking at the shop front, I hadn’t realised it was actually set over two floors, with the upstairs section featuring an on-site testing range, while the downstairs consists of two large showrooms, well-stocked with all manner of kit. It was a real ‘Tardis’ moment! After entering, I was warmly greeted by store manager Ben, who proceeded to offer up tea and coffee before showing me around. Wandering through the two ground floor rooms, I noticed a load of top quality RIFs, from brands like ASG, Classic Army, Tokyo
Marui – and plenty from G&G. They are also well-stocked in terms of accessories, from Macwet shooting gloves, to facemasks, to BBs from all the major brands. Looking around the shop, and seeing the punters in conversation with staff, I began to get a feel for just how seriously Pro take their customer service. “I know it sounds corny,” said Ben, “but we really care about the customer’s experience in the store. We do everything in our power to make sure they leave the store as happy as possible, whether they’ve spent £500 or just come in for a general chat.” Indeed, as part of Pro’s policy, they chrono and test every gun that passes through the store, as well as offering a 12-month warranty on all their products – and up to two years on certain G&G stock. In addition, Pro’s on-site shooting range presents a superb ‘try before
INSIDE AIRSOFT | PRO AIRSOFT SUPPLIES you buy’ experience. I was eager to check this out, and as I wandered upstairs, I saw one happy customer unleashing BB fury with a new ASG M4. Marketing manager Dan explained that, “It makes a huge difference for customers to know that the RIF they are buying actually works, and what fps it’s doing before you take it to your first game. When you get first-time AEG users, letting them empty a high-cap mag on full-auto never fails to amuse them – and it’s often at that point that they become full-on airsoft converts.” The customers in the shop appeared to be a mixture of serious airsofters – clad in camo even on a rainy Tuesday morning in London! – and a few casual browsers, ranging from lads and dads with a bit of knowledge, to people who looked like they’d wandered in with no idea what airsoft was. These people were staring agog at the RIFs on display, amazed at what they’d stumbled upon. “That’s one of the big advantages of the shop’s location,” explained Dan. “We’re on the A1, one of the main arterial routes into London, and just five minutes from Highgate Tube Station. It’s great for footfall, as there’s so much traffic going past the shop each day. Even if people aren’t able to walk in straight away, they’ll remember it and come back. Having free one-hour parking right outside helps, too!” Indeed, though Pro Airsoft is clearly a great hub for the sport in north London, the transport
Pro has a wide range of tactical gear, as well as airsoft weapons
The on-site testing range is a great way for customers to try before they buy
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INSIDE AIRSOFT | PRO AIRSOFT SUPPLIES MD Neville Wynn with the G&G ZD30
links to the shop make it equally accessible for people from all around the UK – and beyond. “We have people from far and wide turn up at the shop – but whether you’re a local Londoner or from miles away, we want to make sure you enjoy the atmosphere of the shop, and feel comfortable just hanging out and chatting through any questions you might have.” Looking at the various punters browsing Pro’s wide array of items, I was interested to find out what the average customer walks away with. “We sell a lot of BBs, tactical gear and other accessories. We’re always after new stock that can satisfy people’s urge to bolt cool gear to their weapons and attire.” At this point, I noticed a display case containing some ultra-modern night vision gear. Quite a departure for the average airsofter – but it seems that there is a market for some of the more serious MilSim-style kit. “It never hurts to stock that kind of stuff, as people are keen just to check it out. It shows that the sky is the limit for where airsoft can go.” As for RIFs, Ben explained that G&G products are selling well at the moment. They stock almost the entirety of G&G’s catalogue, including pretty much every AEG from the Taiwanese brand. “We also push TM pistols,” Dan explained, “and have recently started stocking the newer WE pistols and
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accessories. If customers want us to stock something in particular, they’re welcome to get in touch via Facebook and we’ll see what we can do.” Shortly thereafter I got chatting to MD Neville Wynn, who reiterated the company’s dedication to G&G weapons. After a minute or two, he produced a huge attaché case from behind the till, and gave me a glimpse at a rather special upcoming G&G release. “It’s called the G&G ZD30 Pro,” he said grinning, “and its name refers to ‘Zero Dark 30’, the name given to the operation to assassinate Bin Laden.” This beast of a gun is based on the top-tech HK416 GEN2, upgraded with a super high-torque motor. Its retail price is a whopping £799, but Neville explained that a lower-spec model might be unveiled in the future, with a slightly more wallet friendly price tag! As I prepared to head back to Airsoft Action HQ, I wanted to get some last comments from Dan and Neville about how they saw the future of airsoft. “I’m hoping we’ll see more co-operation between real steel and airsoft manufacturers, along with more technological innovations. Airsoft has developed so much in the last decade, but we’re really looking forward to seeing new battery technologies, and an overhaul of the Tokyo Marui gearbox!”
Neville, meanwhile, was keen to point out Pro’s responsibility as retailers. “We care passionately about airsoft’s future, and it’s clear that as the sport grows there will be greater scrutiny on us. From a legal perspective, we must make sure we are operating at the highest possible standards – which at Pro we continue to do. As long as new and existing businesses follow suit, airsoft’s future is looking very healthy!” Whatever happens, I was convinced that Pro Airsoft Supplies will be at the head of any developments on the retail side of the industry. Their welcoming, non-elitist approach is refreshing – but it’s clear they take their jobs very seriously, indeed. Pro is everything an airsoft shop should be – and I urge you to head down there whenever you get the chance.
INFORMATION Pro Airsoft Supplies LOCATION: 252 Archway Road, Highgate, London, N6 5AX OPEN: Monday to Saturday 10am-7pm; Sunday 12pm-6pm WEB: www.proairsoftsupplies.co.uk TEL: 0208 3476476
EVENTEVENT REVIEW REPORT | OPERATION | OPERATION FURIOUS BLOODBATH ANGEL
operation bloodbath The odds are stacked against Ioan ‘Iggy’ Roberts and the Spartan team as he checks out the latest game at Over The Top Adventures
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IOAN ‘IGGY’ ROBERTS Iggy spent eight years in the Royal Navy as a photographer, and still travels to various front lines, whether at sea, in the air, or on the ground. He’s been an airsofter for 15 years and loves the sport.
ver The Top Adventures in Anglesey has recently begun a series of games where one team must face a larger force, consisting of a group of several other teams. With the odds stacked so heavily against the smaller team, they must use ingenuity and tactics to make the most of the resources they have to work with if they are to pull off a memorable victory. I recently went down to Over The Top – or OTT – to play for the ‘Spartan’ team. We were set to be the smaller side – and as I arrived, I was met by a large group of enemy players, all gearing up to take part in our total eradication. During the build up on Facebook, this game began as any normal game at OTT – but very quickly, a series of individuals, followed by team after team, joined the mounting list against us. The banter against our team – and the popular belief
that we were easy targets – readily grew. Once all the players had arrived, both sides were given mission objectives and were allowed to proceed to the start location. We were outnumbered initially three to one. With our team in position, we waited for the whistle to unleash the day’s mayhem. Our objective was simple: hold two positions and resist the enemy onslaught for up to 40 minutes, and then hold the key location of the rebel camp for a further 40 minutes. As soon as the whistle blast was heard, one third of our team raced up the cliffside to take the fight to the enemy as they poured through the insertion point. To our surprise, we held them back, using the natural geography of the rock formations to our advantage, causing the enemy to be channelled. Eventually, the marshals placed a MK 9 grenade,
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“I was left in the middle of the rebel village with a quickly emptying box magazine when a grenade flew over my head”
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representing a 500 pound bomb, among the ranks of our Spartan team, forcing some members, still holding the clifftop, to re-spawn and join myself and the rest of our team at our first objective, which I was defending from the left flank with my STAR M60 Vietnam and five other Spartan team members. Once our whole team re-grouped, we formed a defensive perimeter in the half attack formation. Here we stayed, inflicting mass casualties on our enemy, who then claimed our other objective, which we purposely left lightly guarded. We were sustaining many casualties, but still had plenty of medical bandages left. From this position we didn’t budge. This was our first victory of the day – and we even held back a gallant mass charge from three of the enemy teams. Our next victory was in a similar defending scenario. I volunteered along with five others to hold the outer location for as long as possible. The rest of the team split into two. One group defended a fortified base known as the tyre fort. The other group conducted a roaming patrol in aid of defending our flanks. The enemy took advantage of their greater numbers and kept the other two groups of Spartans busy, while at the same time massing on my location, eventually picking off my teammates around me. I was left in the middle of the rebel village with a quickly emptying box magazine when a grenade flew over my head, followed by five enemy players advancing over the defences and peppering me with rounds. The rebel village was eventually taken from us. However, we prevented the enemy from repeating the same again on the other two locations using mutual support, and concentrating firepower on enemy leaders and any enemies who advanced too close. This game took us through until lunch. Throughout the morning clashes, I had fired 5,000 out of the 8,000 rounds I had with me for the day. After a lunch of hotdogs, crisps and cola, the Spartans were on the offensive. However, we only had one hour to attack up hill and hit three objectives one after another, ending in the site’s best defensive position, known as the Super Fort. The assault started well. I led the main
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force and we had a smaller light assault team to flank the enemy quickly using all angles to soften the ranks as I drove the main force through the first objective, smashing their defences. After a quick re-group at the secured objective, we pushed on up the hill to a road junction separating us from our next objective. The road was open ground, overlooked by heavily defended positions from the other side, providing an excellent killing zone for the amassed enemy forces. We tried various angles and tactics consisting of heavy support fire and smoke grenades to try to cross the junction and break into the first defences. It took many attempts and casualties on both sides to get across the junction. Once across, we raced through the ruined village where we worked as a
team, using cover and support fire to close and kill the enemy. By the time we reached the Super Fort we had only five minutes left before the end whistle. We surrounded the fort, and a few of our guys managed to slip between the defences and cause losses to the enemy team inside the fort. Despite our best efforts, time got the better of us, and the fort was still in the hands of the enemy. This meant we had won an overall victory, winning two games out of three. We managed to hold our pride, but it was not easy considering the formidable size of the enemy force. We were all challenged and both sides had a great day. This concept of a single team verses multiple other teams will be continued at Over The Top Adventures, and The Ex Site, based in Mold on the North Wales
coast. The next team standing alone will face the home team of The Ex Site, The D A Rangers, plus whichever teams want to join forces with them. This game will be held over the summer at The Ex Site; check out the contact details below if you want to join us in the defeating them on their home turf!
INFORMATION & PRICES Over The Top Adventures
LOCATION: Anglesey, North Wales, LL71 8VW WEB: www.ottairsoft.co.uk EMAIL: ottairsoft.club@mail.com PRICES: ÂŁ20 (green fee); ÂŁ35 (standard hire). Group discounts and annual memberships available TEL: 07731 744471
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