THE Airsoft Magazine
AIRSOFT ACTION
TOKYO MARUI M1911A1
COLT-BLOODED KILLER
WOMEN IN AIRSOFT Four awesome sites from across the UK
G&P AUTOBOT ❱ FACE PROTECTION ❱ SKILLS AND DRILLS ❱ FALKLANDS WAR LOADOUT
AUGUST 2013 - £4.35
We go behind the scenes at ASG’s HQ in Denmark
AIRSOFT SITE ROUND-UP
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AUGUST 2013
ASG AI .338 on test, plus sniper gear round-up
INSIDE AIRSOFT: ACTIONSPORTGAMES
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KIT SPECIAL: SNIPER LOADOUT
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GIRLS AND GUNS IN THE UK
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CONTENTS AIRSOFT ACTION – AUGUST 2013
7 10 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
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W: www.blazepublishing.co.uk © Blaze Publishing Limited, 2013 Distribution: Distributed to the newstrade by Comag Magazine Marketing, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE T: 01895 433 800 Copyright © Blaze Publishing Limited 2013. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the publishers in writing. The opinions of the writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions prior to print.
Find us on…
Letter, idea or question? Got something to say? A question for our experts? An article, or article idea? Drop us a line and let us know. Either email the assistant editor (michaelh@blazepublishing.co.uk), send us a letter at the Blaze Publishing address above – or talk to us on Twitter or Facebook.
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AIRSOFT NEWS All the latest headlines from the airsoft scene
RIFLE: ASG AI AW338 It’s an awesome sniper in real steel – but how does ASG’s version fare?
PISTOL: TOKYO MARUI M1911A1 The classic Colt design given the TM replica treatment
SITE: BLUE STREAK AIRSOFT The eagerly awaited new BadgerTac site investigated
SITE: SOUTHDOWN AIRSOFT Our southern correspondent checks out this vast site with plenty of cool games
RIFLE: G&P AUTOBOT With a name like Autobot, can Scott Allan not be impressed?
FEATURE: WOMEN IN AIRSOFT Rachel Forysth asks how we can get more women onto the skirmish field
READERS WRITE A round-up of your letters, emails and online comments
EVENT: OPERATION PLACIDUS MilSim fan Oscar Plummer sinks his teeth into this bumper event
SITE: THE MANOR Ron Mahoney visits one of the north-west’s most exciting new airsoft ventures
FEATURE: FACE PROTECTION How mesh netting and face masks can save your eyesight
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BOOK SHOP Exclusive reader deals on military books
SUBSCRIBE Save a bundle on a subscription to your favourite mag
INSIDE AIRSOFT: ASG, PART 1 Airsoft Action goes behind the scenes at ASG’s HQ in Denmark
SKILLS ROOM: BILLY BASICS Keeping fit is on Billy’s agenda this issue
READERS’ GALLERY Awesome reader pics from home and abroad
COLD WAR WARRIOR Gareth Harvey looks at a Falklands War loadout
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DEBATE: REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE
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SKILLS ROOM: BATTLE PREPARATION
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We ask if ex-servicemen have an advantage on the skirmish field
How to make sure you’re ready for action on the airsoft skirmish field
MEDIA REVIEW: FAR CRY 3 BLOOD DRAGON The new Far Cry 3 expansion under the microscope
KIT BAG: SNIPER LOADOUT We round up a bunch of cool kit for airsoft sniping
SITE DIRECTORY Find somewhere to be this weekend
August 2013
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RON MAHONEY
Ron has been involved in fieldcraft, shooting and outdoor pursuits for over 30 years. His real passion is the ‘sneaky-beaky’ style of airsoft game
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
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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s Airsoft Action approaches its second birthday, it’s natural to look back at how things have changed over the years. A letter we recently received set me thinking about that very question: in airsoft, what has changed? Taking into account that we are only just starting to see signs of a strengthening economy as we drag ourselves out of recession, it is clear that, on the whole, airsoft has done well. Think about it. Not long ago you could count the number of well-known manufacturers on one hand, and the number of guns was still in double digits. Things are different now. A couple of days ago, I was at RedWolf taking a look at their new retail premises and, like many airsoft retailers, they have well over 100 guns hanging on just one wall – and that doesn’t take into account the cabinets of pistols and other specials. Guns are not just made in China these days, either; there are some simply stunning bits of kit coming from eastern Europe and (mark my words) there will be many more from that particular neck of the woods before very long. Players have changed, too. Of course, we all have our favourite type of play, but (in general) players now seem much more willing to experiment with other formats and styles. I know players who once wouldn’t have been seen dead without multicam on their back and hefting a top-of-the-line AEG, now happily tearing through a forest with a rubber axe in their hand chasing the undead! It just seems to me that we are all becoming more accepting of the many different facets this wonderful game offers us – and that, my friends, is one of airsoft’s greatest assets. There is something else. I cannot remember how long it is since I heard those five dreaded whispered words: The Violent Crime Reduction Act! The VCRA hasn’t gone away, but we have become used to it being there and are happy to operate within the parameters it lays down. I think we can safely say the doom merchants have been proved wrong, the police haven’t mounted dawn raids on unsuspecting players and we haven’t seen swarms of RIF-toting maniacs storming down any high street. All in all, not too shabby. In fact, I think you can all put your right hands over your left shoulders and give yourselves a little pat on the back. Now I await the day when I hear the answer to a certain question being reversed: “Paintball? Yeah, think I’ve heard of that. Isn’t it a bit like airsoft but played with stupid-looking guns?” The way we are going, I don’t think it will be long. See you out there. Nige
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AIRSOFT | NEWS
AIRSOFT NEWS NEW LOGO FOR EAA The European Airsoft Association has revealed its new logo, pictured right. The EAA ran a competition where it asked airsofters to design the new logo, with entries reviewed by the steering committee before a final selection was made. The winning design came from Jeremy Hammond, a UK MilSim player and team leader who plays airsoft around the Midlands and beyond. EAA President Matt Furey-King said: “The winning logo is exactly what we had in mind. It was selected unanimously, despite strong competition, and will project a positive, professional image of the EAA for years to come.”
Airsoft Action sponsored the logo competition, and Jeremy Hammond is also the proud recipient of a year-long subscription to this very magazine! The EAA is a group that defends and advocates airsoft and works with legislative bodies to ensure that our sport is properly represented in any discussions in government. Visit www.europeanairsoftassociation.eu.
WE HAVE
A WINNER
Congratulations to both David Morrison and Keith Partridge, who are now the proud owners of a set of G&G M.E.T electronic targets. The targets were on offer in the competition for our June 2013 issue. Andrew Lane was the winner of our May 2013 competition – a PTS Masada CQB worth £430 – and here he is pictured with the prize, which he picked up from Ratty over at BadgerTac. We hope to have another slew of top prizes coming up for you later in the year, so watch this space!
SOLDIER OF FORTUNE EXPANDS Retailer Solder of Fortune is now stocking airsoft pistols and rifles. In addition to their vast range of militaria, re-enactment gear, and tactical kit, SOF will now stock RIFs from brands such as ASG, G&G, Cybergun and many more. The products will be available both at SOF’s large retail premises in Denbighshire, North Wales, and online at www.sofmilitary.co.uk.
SWEET CHARITY
Daniel Levene, owner of Crawley Surplus Store has made a donation of £100 to St. Barnabas House Hospice in Worthing to express his appreciation to Airsoft Action for featuring his store in the July 2013 edition. St. Barnabas House Hospice offers palliative care both residential and in the community for those with a terminal illness, and support for their families and loved ones. Daniel wanted to make the donation both to support a worthy charity, and also as a gesture thanking the airsoft community. When asked about his donation, Daniel said: “I wanted to express my gratitude to the many airsofters that contribute their positive influence in the community, and that continue to support good causes whenever and wherever possible. After seeing the feature in Airsoft Action, I was determined to make a donation. Knowing that St. Barnabas is well supported by players and the editor, it was clear to me where I wanted the donation to go.” Neil Francis, community fundraising manager for St Barnabas House, was grateful to Crawley Surplus and Airsoft Action for making this happen. When the cheque was handed over, he said: “Once again, I find myself thanking the airsoft community and in particular Daniel at Crawley Surplus and Airsoft Action. This was completely unexpected, which makes it all the more rewarding. I want the airsoft community to know that we are very grateful for their continued support.”
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AIRSOFT | NEWS PRACTICAL AIRSOFT CHAMPIONSHIPS
NEWS BEGINNER’S GUIDE
The UK Airsoft Players Union has just published its Beginner’s Guide to UK Airsoft, which we hope will help encourage new players into our awesome hobby, answer some common questions and correct one or two misconceptions. Please do have a look; it’s worth a full read-through if you are new to this world, but if you are simply looking for advice on a particular subject, you will find that the contents is index linked. To view the guide, visit www.ukapu. org.uk/wordpress/guide-to-airsoft. Please share it with potential new players, and if you can, put up links to the article on your airsoft pages. The guide won’t achieve anything if newbies don’t find it, and airsoft is a big, confusing world to the uninitiated. New participants are the lifeblood of every hobby! Matt Furey-King Consultant for UKAPU
CHAIRMAN’S UPDATE Things are constantly moving forward at UKAPU, and we’ve been doing what we can to further promote the organisation – which is here to help you, the airsofter. One promotional task I undertook recently was at a regular Fireball Squadron game, where I managed to inflict myself on the guys from Airsoft TV and chat a few moments for an interview. Check them out on YouTube if you want to watch the interview, and their other reviews and videos. Our IT improvements are still ongoing, but I’d like to take this opportunity to ask you, our members, what you think. How are we doing? Have you noticed an improvement in the process for joining? Are you guys happy with what we’re doing and what would you like to see from UKAPU next? Please email me at chair@ukapu.org.uk Phil Bucknall UKAPU Chairman
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The Airsoft Surgeon (pictured) would like to invite all European practical airsoft shooters to participate in the 2013 Airsoft Surgeon European Championship on 19 and 20 October. The venue is The Grange, considered by many to be the British home of practical airsoft shooting and where tournaments take place on a frequent basis. Airsoft Action reported exclusively on the match that took place during the Airsoft Surgeon’s visit to the Arms Fair last year and spoke to him at this year’s IWA, where he told us the event would be coming to the UK this year. “Practical shooting is very popular in the Far East and we have had some excellent Airsoft Surgeon tournaments. Now we want to bring the same excitement and challenge to Europe. I was very impressed with the arrangements at The Grange and so that is where we have decided to hold the first European Championship”, he said. Chris Kong of RedWolf airsoft said: “Of course we are happy and very excited to be associated with the Airsoft Surgeon and practical airsoft shooting is growing very quickly here, so it seemed only natural that the first European Championship should take place in the UK.” Jim Sefton at The Grange was equally enthusiastic: “We are delighted to host such a prestigious event at The Grange. The Airsoft Surgeon is known world-wide and to have the first ever European Championship here in the UK will give the sport a huge boost.” The match is open to all practical airsoft shooters and includes a total of 16 stages over the two days of the championship, with a pre-match on 18 October. Airsoft Action understands that teams from a number of European countries have already expressed great interest in attending and British shooters are looking forward to showcasing our home-grown talent against the best from over the Channel. For more information contact The Grange on 01676 532384 or RedWolf Airsoft on 01684 273070.
ERRATA
In the July issue of Airsoft Action, we printed Dragon’s Lair Airsoft’s prices incorrectly. A walk-on at DLA is actually just £20, with rental kit an extra £25, including gun, mask and 3,000 BBs. We’d also like to thank Pete Aldridge for his fantastic photography used in our report of DLA’s Call of Duty event.
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LONE WOLF
SG has launched a budget sniper rifle in the form of the Accuracy International AW .338 – but will it do justice to the AI name? Scott Allan investigates
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enmark’s ActionSportGames (ASG) tasked Ares to build them a fully-licensed Accuracy International AW .338 sniper rifle – and the result has just found its way into my eager hands. Ares guns, in my experience, are always good-looking externally but have often failed to impress me internally. So, I began this review with a pre-formed idea of what to expect – but would the .338 surprise me? The Accuracy International AW .338 is effectively the big brother of the 7.62mm (.308 Win) rifle known as the British Army L96. This is a bolt-action, single-
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shot sniper rifle, which means you can pump it up to a higher velocity, thus giving you more range!
Real Steel Accuracy International (AI) is a world famous rifle manufacturer based here in the UK. Yes, you did read that correctly – a country with one of the strictest firearm regimes actually produces one of the finest firearms in the world. In the 1980s, UK forces were searching for a replacement for the Enfield L42 rifle and the AI rifle was adopted and eventually given the designation L96.
The 7.62mm NATO round has long been popular among sharpshooters, and with a skilled shooter it is capable of hitting a 2" grouping at 600 yards – not to be sniffed at! But times change, as do the operational requirements of our soldiers, their equipment and the weapons they carry. The sharpshooter, DMR or sniper role has developed a lot over the years, and the latest operational theatres of Afghanistan have meant the rules have changed again. The .338 Lapua Magnum round, at 8.6x70mm, is a massively different beast, giving all-round performance.
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THE ARMOURY | ASG AI AW .338
So why not just give everyone .50 cal? It’s mainly because the weight of the overall package; when sized up, the .338 is just plain easier to manage. A .50 is a big, heavy rifle (as is the ammunition), and the .338 is said to be just as good at common engagement ranges. So, while a Barrett will always be the heavy slugger ‘Mike Tyson’ of sniper rifles, the .338 is more akin to Bruce Lee. In 2009 a British Army sniper claimed the longest ever recorded kill with a sniper rifle. Corporal of Horse Craig Harrison killed two Taliban machine gunners at an outrageous 2,475m (or 2,707 yards). That is over a mile and a half! Admittedly, the airsoft version might not achieve this, but using it can remind you of this snippet of history all the same.
The Replica This airsoft version of the .338 mimics the real version closely. The polymer body and folding stock feel tough enough to stand up to day-to-day gaming, without failing under the stresses of a bit of rough and tumble. The finish is nice, and these rifles take a spray job, sniper tape or, in this case, ASG camouflage tape very well – although personally I love a sprayed sniper rifle. The folding stock has storage in mind rather than CQB; the grip is ergonomic, and I find this style better than the classic Remington VSR style stock – and a little more pleasing to the eye. Integrated to this nicely sculpted handle is an adjustable cheek rest, while the shoulder
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THE ARMOURY | ASG AI AW .338 reality is you run around struggling to find a clear shot, only to be thwarted by a breeze that sends your shot inches wide. It is not a role for everyone. I will take my L96 out for the odd game for a couple of hours, then switch back to my trusty AEG to get more into the thick of the fighting. I found the magazine of the .338 slightly irritating. The caterpillar system takes around 18 rounds and needs the pressure of the magazine pushing the rounds up constantly. I found filling the magazine, putting in the rifle to feed into the caterpillar system, removing it and refilling it was the best way. It’s a minor irritation, nothing more.
Conclusion
rest has a rubberised finish, which seats well and is comfortable when brought up to the aim. The 20mm top rail suits all standard airsoft scopes and this version comes with a free Strike Systems 3-9x40mm scope and mounts. The 3-9x adjustable is a great airsoft scope, giving you benefits in all situations. A 40mm objective is a good all-round size, although a 50mm may be better for lower light situations. Also included is a Harris replica bipod: a sturdy metal-built version that finishes the look of the rifle well. I have never used a bipod as I find the positives don’t outweigh those that come from having a lighter front end, but depending on your style and the site, you may wish to keep this. The rest of the construction, barrel, bolt and sling points are metal. Metal sling points are always a great thing – moving around with a long rifle can be tricky, and the knowledge that your lifeline in a game is safely stored while you move positions is important. The barrel is a match style and is engraved with AI trademarks, as ASG has the licence. It is a nice touch, and adds to the
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authenticity of the rifle. Chronograph tests came up around 400fps with Blaster 0.20g BBs, which seemed a little on the low side, but it’s not a major issue. Most people who buy a sniper rifle plan to upgrade internal areas at some point anyway. The magazine holds 58 rounds and feeds through a caterpillar system. The metal trigger housing and sears are largely bespoke except the pistol sear, which looks a little like a VSR type. It has a plastic piston as well as a spring guide, which, given the price of the rifle, is no surprise – and these also bear a resemblance to VSR parts. The hop unit is a bespoke type with grub screw hop adjustment, which I prefer over the VSR slider. The inner barrel is a VSR type, as is the hop rubber.
In Use Sniping in airsoft is a fine art. Everyone loves the idea of the lone wolf sniper taking down unsuspecting targets, while you remain safely camouflaged as a hedge covered in horse manure. The
When you look at this package and see the price tag of £180 you should be sitting with your mouth open. Although the free extras are a limited-time offer, the rifle alone makes great value. If you can grab it with the extras, then you are saving yourself the better part of £70-80. Okay, so the fps won’t make you Craig Harrison, but then most of these packages do allow for later upgrades. If you want to dip your toe into the sniping market to have something in your collection that looks good and can be used occasionally, then this is fantastic value. It looks good, has authentic markings and comes with lots of goodies. Okay, it is not the most powerful rifle ever, but then power is not what sniping is about – or we’d all see the troops running around with Barrett light .50s. Go out, work on your fieldcraft, and have some fun.
INFORMATION & PRICE ASG AI AW .338
LENGTH (FULL): 1,200mm LENGTH (FOLDED): 1,000mm BARREL LENGTH: 640mm RAIL LENGTH: 20mm WEIGHT: 6.4kg STOCK: Polymer, folding VELOCITY: 400fps (on test) EXTRAS (REVIEW PACKAGE): Bipod, Strike Systems scope and mounts, ASG camouflage grip tape PRICE: £180
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COLTBLOODED KILLER Jay Slater has spent a year trialling Tokyo Marui’s take on the M1911A1 – and he’s found plenty to say about it…
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lessed are those who, in the face of death, think only about the front sight.’ This quote is fittingly apt for the Colt Government M1911 – aka Colt .45 – a beautifully designed sidearm that is perhaps the most popular pistol of all time. We identify genius by its impact, and the M1911 is no exception. Known for its ease of use, reliability, serviceability, simplicity and accuracy, the M1911 is respected for its .45 ACP cartridge. A solid man stopper, this widowmaker of a bullet is legendary for its lethality and hard-hitting power at close quarters, such as trenches and battlefield ruins.
Real Steel Designed by John Browning in the late 1890s, the M1911 was designed on the
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short recoil principle. It is a self-loading pistol, and a notable advancement from the old-fashioned revolvers seen in the Wild West. Using bullet energy to reload the next shot, the M1911 shone above its contemporaries – with one example reportedly firing over 6,000 rounds in two days. When it grew hot, the weapon was immersed in water to cool it.
With no malfunctions, it was no wonder that the US Government issued Browning a specification to mass produce his M1911. A single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed pistol, the weapon holds seven rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber. Accidental discharge is virtually impossible thanks to Browning’s
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THE ARMOURY | TOKYO MARUI M1911A1 The M1911A1 was introduced in 1924 with minor changes such as a shorter spur on the hammer and a longer grip and barrel. During WWII, the M1911A1 was well liked by US and British forces, especially aircrews, and captured examples were fired in anger by the Wehrmacht. Stories of the Colt .45 in battle are the stuff of legend. After being shot down by a Japanese Zero fighter, one US pilot dangled helplessly in his parachute. Anxious to finish him off, the Zero strafed and grazed his victim. To get a closer look, the Japanese pilot circled his prey, chopped the throttle and opened the canopy. The US pilot raised his .45 automatic and fired four shots. The Zero stalled and spun in. Today, the 1911 is highly collectable and customisable with everything from ebony grips and tactical sights to satin nickel-plated slides. And it’s easy to see why. Having fired the real steel, the M1911A1 is seriously loud, menacing and feels right in the hand. What you see, you shall destroy. It is no wonder that, in 2012, US Marines were reissued with the classic 1911. Sure, 9mm pistols may enjoy a larger capacity magazine, but a single .45 slug makes one hell of a mess. The Colt .45 may be over 100 years old, but old man has got it in spades where it counts.
revolutionary design of two safety mechanisms, including the rear grip. It became the standard issue sidearm for US forces from 1911 to 1985 and was bloodied in the First World War, during which some 250,000 M1911s were produced. Indeed, some examples from the era are still in use today, having fired over one million rounds.
The Replica The Tokyo Marui M1911A1 is an airsoft workhorse. Presented in a militarystyle box with a green satin finish and customary box of BBs, first impressions are tasteful. Despite being constructed of plastic and metal due to Japanese law, their representation of the M1911A1 is without doubt the very best. With no
ugly seams, it’s a tight and wonderful package with a long list of 1911 copyright patents. Craftsmanship shines throughout; it’s of beautiful quality, with no rattles or wobbles – and it certainly feels well balanced. The metal parts consist of the mainspring housing, bushing, trigger, slide lock and safeties. It also breaks
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THE ARMOURY | TOKYO MARUI M1911A1
down like the real steel for cleaning and training purposes. On initial inspection, the Tokyo Marui M1911A1 is somewhat lightweight and has to be treated with care in the open, as the plastic top rail and sight will scuff and distort if dropped on hard surfaces. That said, metal slides and frames are available, as well as improved internals, which offer alloy eyeball candy and resounding gas-powered razzmatazz. The bottom magazine lip is made of thin plastic and can snap easily, while the grips are also woefully cheap looking. However, before replacing these with genuine wooden/ ebony grips, be warned that Tokyo Marui have been crafty buggers. Each plastic grip has been weighted precisely to give their weapon a decent feel in hand.
On Test Operation is easy: insert the loaded magazine, rack back the top slide, and off you go. However, Tokyo Marui has cleverly incorporated two safeties that are faithful to the Browning real steel: the cocked and locked. The doublestack magazine holds 25 BBs, and its slim reservoir is gas dependent on temperature. Having acquainted myself with this M1911A1, it was time to lock and load and put her through her paces. I’ve been testing this gun over a full year to see how it fares in various temperatures. Magazines were fuelled with green gas,
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and loaded with .20 and .25 Madbull BBs. As expected, TM provides a superb hop-up, and the internal engineering is without equal. Bar freezing temperatures, the TM M1911A1 performed superbly, and was gas efficient in even the most demanding airsoft climes. In a typical early summer’s day, range surpassed the competition at a good 100-120 feet with decent spacing: hitting a man-sized target should not be an issue. Being a sidearm, accuracy, as expected, is second to practicality and efficiency on the quick of the draw. That being said, and considering its short barrel, expect kills when the going gets tough. At 270-290fps, power and range was consistent with a hard-whack payload. But due to the thin gas reservoir, expect two to three BBs to remain unused. It is wise to purchase another magazine or two – and it’s also advisable to load each magazine with 19 rounds or so. The blowback is second to none: period. With a tantalising, crisp blowback and eggshell-light trigger, the TM M1911A1 demands respect. A solid hand cannon, not only is this Colt beauty a work of wonder, she will never let you down if you give her a little care and attention. With a minimum servicing of silicon on all moving parts as well as the magazine valve, this Japanese firecracker gives it her all. Another notable feature is that she can take serious abuse. One example was when I accidently dropped one on site, which I recovered a year later after it had endured the harshest elements such as heavy rains and snow. As expected, the magazine was trashed, but the TM M1911A1 continued to cycle rounds downrange with joy. Lastly, this Colt .45 demands a decent second-hand
price that reflects its reputation in the airsoft community. Though out of the box the TM M1911A1 is near perfect, there are loads of modifications available to tart her up to your own personal preference, from bling aesthetics, like alloy frames and slides, to improved internals. For example, Mike Cripps of the Elite Shooting Centre can achieve an astonishing 310fps. Options include: a tight-bore barrel in either 6.03mm or 6.01mm (from £29); uprated hop-up rubber (£17); custom grips (from £15); and metal frames and slides (from £110). Naturally, with such a bristling performance, it cannot be guaranteed that that the original plastic slide and frame will not snap. Accuracy is improved, but with a hit on the range. That said, the standard TM M1911A1 is arguably the best gas blowback pistol around. A skirmish favourite that differs from those Glocks and Berettas, it delivers a no-compromise propane punch. With her kickback, power, and range, this is a weapon that I wholeheartedly recommend to airsoft newcomers as well as veterans for good reason. I have two: one for each hand.
INFORMATION & PRICE Tokyo Marui M1911A1
WEIGHT: 800 g BARREL LENGTH: 128 mm OVERALL LENGTH: 218 mm HOP-UP: adjustable CAPACITY: 26 rounds (6mm) POWER: 290fps FIRING MODE: Semi-automatic PRICE: From £120
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bolt from the blue As if BadgerTac doesn’t keep him busy enough, Ratty has also opened a new airsoft site. Ioan ‘Iggy’ Roberts reports from the wilds of Buckinghamshire
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rriving at Westcott Venture Park, you are greeted by a longrange missile, positioned as a gate guardian on the approach to the main entrance – a vivid reminder that, as RAF Westcott, this was a former rocket research establishment. Having reported to the guard room, visitors are given directions to the site, and pulling into the car park, marshals are on hand to meet and greet and show people to the safe zone. Situated on Westcott Venture Park, Blue Streak Airsoft is a 35-acre site dedicated purely to airsoft, just outside Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. It is run by Ian ‘Ratty’ Armitage, owner of BadgerTac – an airsoft and tactical equipment shop also based on the site – along with a group of friends and staff. Ratty is a regular Airsoft Action contributor and has been airsofting since the mid 90s. Having established the shop, he quickly
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saw the potential for an airsoft site at Westcott, and has been negotiating with the management team since he moved in. His idea finally became a reality in January this year, when Blue Streak Airsoft first opened its gates. On the day I visited, 72 players had booked in, the highest number since the site opened. Following a detailed, relevant safety brief by the marshals – the majority of whom are serving or ex-serving members of the Ministry of Defence – the players were split into two teams and given their initial mission briefing, then taken to their starting locations. The games in the morning were all played on the opposite side of the site from the safe zone. Here the terrain was a mixture of dense shrubs, woodland and large bunkers, which were all ingame. Remember, rockets were once designed and tested here, and many of
the old buildings and bunkers still exist, with wide spaces between them. This meant that players would be engaging both at close quarters and long range. This site has something for every type of airsofter, from the tactical-thinking sniper, right through to the fearless pistol-wielding CQB addicts that like things close and personal. The first game was a simple capturethe-flag affair. However, due to the cover provided by the bunker systems and foliage, as well as the number of players, it was quite a task even reaching either team’s flag. Just as a player felt safe enough to make a dash to grab it, they would be gunned down by a wall of 6mm pellets coming in from every angle. Eventually (and after countless re-spawns on both teams) one side did overrun the other and win the flag. All the games were separated by a break (a good idea due to the sunny weather) which gave
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SITE REVIEW SITE| BLUE REVIEW STREAK | THEAIRSOFT MANOR
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.
Dense shrubbery and woodland take up much of the 35-acre site…
…while buildings formerly used in rocket testing operations are also in use
players a chance to re-hydrate before the next fast-paced game. Lunch was the usual hour and the food was delightful – easily the best I have had at any airsoft site. It is said that some players attend just for the great lunch that’s on offer! I asked Ratty why he put so much effort into the food: “I don’t want to be another site serving the mystery meat burger that you usually find. Part of creating a good day for the players is having good food for lunch. The food is all home cooked and comes from a local business called The Waddesdon Deli. This is why each player must book in and is asked about any food allergies they might have during the booking process.” The lunch served on this skirmish day was a sausage casserole with garlic and herb potatoes and homemade coleslaw. During the game season a popular lunch option is game stew, usually pheasant. During the break, I managed to ask a
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SITE REVIEW SITE| BLUE REVIEW STREAK | THEAIRSOFT MANOR
few players what they thought of the site. Both newcomers and experienced airsofters appreciated the professionalism of the Blue Streak staff and the diversity of the gameplay. The afternoon games were held closer to the safe zone in a selection of office buildings containing a plethora of rooms and corridors. Some of the rooms were fitted with dividing walls, creating small cubby-hole spaces to hide in, and rabbit runs that players had to crawl through to gain access into the next room. One team was defending while the other did their best to attack over open ground and from room to room. The attacking team had to search each room to find intelligence devices such as laptops and CDs. It was absolute chaos!
It was a very entertaining and challenging game. Once the first building was cleared, the attacking team then had to clear out two kill houses, one of which was very dark inside. This caused mass casualties to the attacking team once they secured an entrance, because their eyes hadn’t had time to adjust to the darkness as they rushed in, instantly channelled along narrow corridors into the arcs of the waiting, defending enemy. The roles were reversed for the final game, and the day’s skirmishes eventually came to a close around 18:00. Blue Streak also has a small on-site shop and, with the main BadgerTac shop just a short drive across the old airfield, most things are available. An onsite repair service is also available, with repairs being carried out by BadgerTac airsoft
Crawl-spaces and cubby-holes add variety to indoor games at Blue Streak
engineer Mark ‘Banzai’ Brooks. Should the need arise, he will take any nonworking airsoft guns and return them to you at a later skirmish – and a full service is available under a similar arrangement. Blue Streak is a constantly evolving site operating with a work-in-progress mentality, meaning the site will undergo constant subtle changes to maintain an in-game warzone feeling, adding to a fun day. But it’s not all play for the staff at Blue Streak. The team are very aware of the importance of conservation, due to the site’s interesting history and the wildlife that inhabit it. The locations of the skirmishes are thought out to avoid disturbing the wildlife living there. I came away with the feeling that Blue Streak offers something for all airsofters, ranging from the novice to the seasoned veteran. The site has already come a long way from when it first opened its gates and has the potential to go even further, with the concept of evening mid-week games, to full weekend and themed events. A team I spoke to from Redditch called Ditchcorps said: “Blue Streak is an epic site with epic scenarios and friendly, down-toearth marshals ensuring a fun-filled day for all.” I could not have said it better myself.
INFORMATION & PRICES Blue Streak Airsoft LOCATION: Wescott Venture Park, Aylesbury, HP18 0XD WEB: www.bluestreak-airsoft.co.uk TEL: 01296 658600 EMAIL: ratty@bluestreak-airsoft.co.uk PRICES: £30 walk-on (£45 with hire) OPENING TIMES: Skirmishes are held on the first and third Sunday of each month
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heading down south
Set on 100 acres of deep forest down in Sussex, Southdown Airsoft is a real treat for airsofters of all varieties – Les Lee included
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LES LEE Les Lee has over 25 years of shooting experience under his belt – but now his focus is airsoft. Safety, common sense and a balanced perspective are his strengths – and he just loves his handguns!
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hen I was getting ready to drive to Southdown Airsoft, I asked myself, ‘Shall I throw a loadout and a handgun in the Jeep just in case?’ It’s a damn good job I didn’t – otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this now. On the way there, as my trusty sat nav guided me through the beautiful West Sussex countryside between Petworth and Midhurst (and believe me, you will need a sat nav), I found myself driving deep into heavily wooded areas. This was
indeed a true woodland site – a forest of great density just oozing mystery and teasing my curiosity. It was nice to have a hard-top road right up to the parking area, adjacent to the safe zone/base camp where parking is plentiful and secure. I was met by Archie GodmanDorington who gave me a warm greeting, and after being introduced to the marshals and players, I felt genuinely welcome. Archie set up UKARA-registered Southdown Airsoft after having played
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SITE REVIEW | SOUTHDOWN AIRSOFT PLAYER PROFILES After I’d retreated from Jay’s Maze, I had a chance to speak to three female airsofters that were playing at Southdown. It’s always good to see women getting involved – and it’s something we’ll hopefully see more of as the sport grows. (See Rachel Forsyth’s article on page 30 for more on this subject– Ed). Here’s what they had to say.
LILLY GILBERT, 16, GUILDFORD Lilly was there with her dad, and this was not her first game – as was apparent as the day went on. I asked Lilly what she liked best about the sport. “I like the cover of woodland and long-distance shots where I can hide behind the bushes and take ‘em out. I’m a bit of a sniper type and like to sneak up on the enemy. My weapon of choice would be a pistol, but I do prefer the open areas and using my rifle.” Clearly Lilly is a competent sniper in the making and, from what I saw, not to be underestimated – this girl can fight.
STEPHANIE EATON, 17, CLANFIELD
for seven years, and fortunately, as his family own 100 acres of farmland, and a true picture-book forest of magnificent pine and douglas fir trees, he didn’t have to look too far to find a suitable site. And so Southdown Airsoft was born in March 2009.
Stephanie was a first-timer who had gone along with her partner, and she was clearly having a great time. When I asked her if she will airsoft again (which was a completely dumb question, I might add), she replied: “Definitely, I’m gonna go home and ask my dad to buy me a gun, but not a pink one. I ain’t no pink girl.” Well, you can’t knock her determination.
The Game Zones
ZOE WOODCOCK, 28, CHICHESTER
Now, this really is woodland of exhaustive boundaries and proportions. This is not a flat area. Picture the scene: skyscrapersize trees, many of which have fallen, creating natural defensive structures; high bracken; rhodedendrons; thicket; and a whole lot more of what nature provided, making for great encampments and concealments. All this is perched on the sides of the numerous hilly areas, some as steep as 45 degrees – but quite cleverly, the game zones are designed to user-friendly standards, without the need for an on-site defibrillator. A series of trenches link several deep, well-designed bunkers together. Clearly many, many man hours have been put in to make this site multi-dimensional. There are around a dozen game areas of varying terrain, with names such as The Compound, Drop Zone,
Zoe has been playing for some time and explained that she definitely prefers woodland. “I tried the bunkers and I’m not too keen. I got mullered”. It’s fair to say Zoe is right at home at Southdown Airsoft. What was a first for me was that not only was Zoe using a pink M4 magazine, but she actually had pink BBs, something I had never seen before!
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Congo, Swampland, Zombie, Protect the VIP, and Jay’s Maze. Four-wheel drives are used for transport in certain game scenarios, which further add to the missions, and offer a mobile base for refreshments and storage.
Meet and Greet Upon arrival, I found myself in the base camp, where my brothers and sistersin-arms were prepping their kit, donning their rigs, chrono-ing their RIFs, gassing up, and chatting. It was good to see everyone in sturdy boots, because if ever there were a need for terrain-specific footwear, then this was it. The briefing was clear, concise, and exhaustive. A few had on the ‘we’ve heard it so many times’ facial expression, but generally everyone was attentive. As I’m a belt-and-braces man, in my opinion player safety cannot be scrimped on – and I was well pleased by Southdown’s efforts.
Game On Game one, the warm up game, was a simple attack-and-defend, not too far from
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the base camp. This was the first of what is usually a dozen games in a typical day at Southdown – and I probably chose the best day of the year to visit. The flora was in full bloom, so defensive cover was in abundance, with the bracken over five feet tall in places. With the sunlight beaming through the trees, visiblity was superb, as was the atmosphere. Zombies was next, which had everyone running round like headless chickens, but then I guess the presence of zombies would have that effect. The damn things just don’t seem to want to die!
Jay’s Maze Next it was time for CQB… painful, wound-inflicting CQB. Don’t we all just love the thrill and macho status of a tiny trickle of blood running down our exposed flesh? What is a battle without battle scars? Head Marshal Jay has created a mazelike structure from the ground up, which is a sizeable area with heavy duty, dark tarpaulins strung up in a complicated pattern. Unless you are psychic or have
a GPS then you will, at some point, take a wrong turn. Waiting for you will be a bunch of close-up-and-personal enemy players with muzzles, propelling little plastic balls at you. You don’t even have time to say ‘Whoops, wrong turn’ before you are raising your hand and asking to leave the room. Yes, Jay’s Maze is a unique, adrenalin-pumping game zone designed to raise pulses and excitement, and I would absolutely agree that it does just that. So not wishing to endanger my precious D-SLR camera, I spent just moments inside the structure, before legging it when I realised that no amount of high-vis clothing was going to keep me free from a strike.
The Swamplands Just before the rather yummy and included BBQ lunch, we moved to an area which was quite eerie. It had a Jurassic
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SITE REVIEW | SOUTHDOWN AIRSOFT feel to it, seemingly undisturbed for billions of years, due to a thick covering of moss. It comprised a surface of dips and raised areas and felt frozen in time, as if a Tyrannasaurus Rex or two should have been running around. Very spooky, especially as the water appeared black, and fallen branches and tree stumps had perished over many, many years. Would I have been surprised if a croc had appeared from a swampy lagoon? Not really. The marshals were strategically supplying and using smokes during every game. As there was no wind, and the bracken was ‘holding’ the smoke, it created the perfect special effect. It also eliminated the necessity of players buying their own smokes. This worked well – remember that smokes need ignition to work, and ignition also conflicts with woodland, particularly bracken, so this was indeed a good point of focus. With a varied and challenging selection of games throughout the afternoon, players eventually, and not surprisingly, started to fade, as it was one of the
hottest days so far, but nearly all played on and made the most of the fine summer weather. So what are Southdown’s plans for the future? First and foremost: more game zones that are mission specific. Don’t forget, Archie’s family own the land, so any structures or modifications are virtually without restriction. The sky’s the limit. One constructive criticism is that there were way too many players removing their eye protection in the game area. I accept that this was after game over was announced, but nevertheless, guns were still being discharged. Don’t wait until a marshal instructs you, as they can’t see everyone all of the time. It only takes a single 6mm ball of plastic hitting your eye at 350fps to take away your eyesight for the rest of your life. Please be responsible, and not only to yourself. If you see others removing their eye pro, ‘advise’ them in a friendly way for their own good, or discreetly mention it to a marshal.
Conclusion I always approach sites with a very open mind and try to be as objective as possible. Southdown Airsoft ultimately ticked a great deal of boxes. Upon arrival I didn’t know quite what to expect as the website, which nowadays can make or break a worthy enterprise such as this, really doesn’t do this site justice – but Archie informed me that the website is soon to be rebuilt.
However, as the day progressed, the sheer scale and excitement became apparent. How could any airsofter have a bad day at this place? The management is enthusiastic and efficient, the players varied and friendly, and I didn’t see any signs of elitism, which can unfortunately be a factor at some sites (if we’re being honest). Above all, everyone was laughing and smiling and having a really good time, which is what it is all about. Am I going back to play out a game or two? You bet. I live just 40 minutes from the site, so I guess I had better get myself down the gym ready for that unique terrain, otherwise I might be needing that defibrilator after all.
INFORMATION & PRICES Southdown Airsoft LOCATION: Graffham, Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0LR TEL: Archie (07766 770830) WEB: www.southdownairsoft.com EMAIL: southdownairsoft@gmail.com PRICES: Walk-on £15 (half day)/ £20 (full day). Gun hire £15/£20. BBs £10 per 3,000
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THE ARMOURY | G&P AUTOBOT
M4 IN DISGUISE The Autobot from G&P is nothing to do with Transformers, but Scott Allan is still keen to find out more…
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&P has built a rifle with more trademarks than a trademark dictionary – and they call it… The Autobot. But as far as I can see, it has nothing to do with Transformers. So is G&P just picking cool names these days? The Hong Kong-based manufacturer has a background firmly set in the M4 market, though they do make some outrageously lovely M249s and MK23 Stoner rifles, too. Several years ago, they only made extras to enhance the Tokyo Marui replicas – but in more recent years, they have begun to offer complete packages. Fast forward to 2013, and their M4 platforms are by far the best value for money in terms of external quality. On this Autobot rifle, as with many others, G&P is working closely with Magpul PTS and Madbull to source the best quality parts to ensure they can continually produce trustworthy rifles. Like many other Airsoft
Action readers, I am a massive Transformers fan, so you can imagine my excitement when I first heard of this rifle. I had expected Autobot logos, cool options around the fire selector like ‘Roll Out’, and possibly a bumblebee air freshener. What I actually saw was an M4 with an M203. So from the name point of view, I was a smidgen gutted.
Real Steel M4s are like belly buttons, everyone has them and some of them are really weird. You can tart it up with a variety of bling, but at the end of the day it is still a belly button… sorry, I mean M4.
M4 is really just a generic term these days for the 5.56mm platform that is readily available for the entire worldwide market. Manufacturers such as Colt, Stag Arms, Stoner, Mega Arms, Heckler & Koch and Armalite are all M4 producers in one form or another. Most essentially play around the same design with a few tweaks or material changes. The operation of the rifle remains
pretty much the same from the first versions issued back in the 1960s. That is an impressive achievement, rivalled only by ‘the more common than rats’ AK-47. The 5.56mm NATO round is still the favourite round issued to Western troops, from SWAT teams to Afghanistan. Its lightweight design means troops can carry sufficient ammunition without weighing themselves down too much. Its limited penetration power means you should only be damaging the target that you aim at, which is beneficial when your targets are mixed in with civilians. It is often claimed that the 5.56mm round is not
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heavy enough, and this is why we also see a 7.62mm version of the M4 platform, such as the SR25, HK417 and British Army L129 rifle made by Lewis Machine & Tool.
The Replica Externally, this airsoft rifle is simply beautiful; there is not a single part out of place, or an area that looks cheaply made. The entire construction feels very tough, like it will take a beating and a half, which is what you would expect from any high-end rifle. The primary construction of the body is cast metal, sporting a Magpul embossed lower and VLTOR laser-etched upper. The Magpul MOE stock and pistol grip is the usual polymer, as is the P-MAG mid cap issued with the rifle. The full-length top rail sports two MBUS sprung flip-up sights, which are probably the best available at the
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moment. The Madbull CNC front rail is pretty much real steel quality and comes with Daniel Defence Mk18 markings. Up front there is a stubby silencer, which helps reduce muzzle report without being too intrusive. The M203 launcher supplied has two lots of trademarks, which is very confusing. On one side you have LMT and on the other you have Colt. So you have Magpul, VLTOR, LMT, Daniel Defense and Colt trademarks on one rifle... That has got to be a new record! G&P always make good all-round rifles, but what sets them apart is the M120 high speed motors. They are, by far, the fastest out-of-thebox rifles on the planet. Nothing else even comes remotely close. Internally they have an 8mm bearing gearbox, so they can withstand you tinkering, upgrading types. Out of the box, most G&P rifles are on the
warm side (anywhere from 350 up to 420fps) although most respectable companies will downgrade these for free if required. The inner barrel is the only part of a G&P rifle that I feel could be better. With companies such as G&G shipping some rifles with a 6.03, the standard brass barrel of the G&P is always something I would change as quickly as possible – for either an Ultimate or Prometheus 6.03. While it is not necessary, the rifle will easily run an 11.1V LiPo, albeit at an outrageous 1,200-1,300 rounds per minute. The Autobot retails for around £440, but when you break this rifle down to its basic parts, it is worth a hell of a lot more. A G&P M203 retails for around £100, a Madbull
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THE ARMOURY | G&P AUTOBOT
rail is circa £100 and the MBUS flip up sights are about £70-80. So there is at least £270 accounted for straight away. In my opinion, this Autobot probably is one of the best value-for-money rifles ever made. The quality of the components and the price that they carry alone means you really are scoring pretty big on the deal.
In Use The M203 does make it a little more difficult to wield in some situations, but it is easily removed if you find it isn’t necessary for the games you are playing. That said, the satisfaction of stepping around a corner and blasting a team of guys with a single burst of 150 BBs is most amusing. The number of rails means that any lasers, torches or red dots you want are going to have
plenty of space. The rate of fire and fair trigger response mean you should rarely be beaten to the crunch, and keeping the enemy pinned in position with a high rate of fire is helpful. But with great power comes great responsibility – and if you are running high rates of fire, watch your piston! The Magpul parts are tried and tested designs, which are comfortable and ergonomic to use over an extended period of time. The rifle uses any M4 magazines available on the market so sharing among teammates shouldn’t present any issues either.
Conclusion As mentioned earlier, M4s are extremely common, but then this
version is not just another bland model. It does stand out and offer a big punch for a small package – and the price is very fair for what is included. You definitely cannot go wrong with this rifle at this price, so just do yourself a favour and get a tight bore barrel straight away.
INFORMATION & PRICE G&P Autobot
LENGTH: 700mm-785mm INNER BARREL LENGTH: 266mm WEIGHT: 3.63kg MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 120 rounds GEARBOX: 8mm bearing MOTOR: G&P M120 high-speed RECOMMENDED BATTERY: 7.4V M4 Stock LiPo Battery PRICE: £440
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GIRLS WITH GUNS Although a few women are swapping their make-up for cam-cream, Rachel Forsyth asks why there aren’t more female players in airsoft
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f you googled the title of this article, it would probably turn up images of women getting their ‘assets’ out while awkwardly holding an M4 and squinting (sexily?) through a scope in full make-up – with no intention of ever getting dirty in the traditional sense of the word. But that’s not what I want to talk about here. This is about real women who like, love, or want to try airsoft. I also want to ask why there aren’t more of us, and what this might mean.
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I remember turning up to my first airsoft game, after being awake most of the night worrying whether I would embarrass anyone (having no knowledge of guns or how to use a speed loader), or if I would actually hit anything other than my own foot. My thoughts soon turned to other concerns: will there be other women there? Do guys mind women playing? Am I invading ‘man time’? Will it hurt? (I’d seen YouTube videos that suggested childbirth
could be a walk in the park compared to this) And where the hell do I pee? Or rather, how do I pee without a virtual army of men taking pot shots at my arse? I’ve never been a girly girl – nails are made for getting mud under as far as I’m concerned – but guns and running around the woods being shot at with small plastic missiles at a high velocity seemed to be pushing it a bit. So when I was finally dragged from the car and confronted
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INSIDE FEATURE AIRSOFT | WOMEN IN AIRSOFT
RACHEL FORSYTH Rachel Forsyth is a true tomboy at heart, and the brains behind Spectre Airsoft Media. Through Spectre, she hopes to bring an unbiased voice to the community and encourage more women to give it a go.
by 80 guys in full gear (I was the only woman) and guns of all shapes and sizes, not to mention what looked like sticks of dynamite and grenades strapped to their chests, I was ready to jump back in the car and paint said nails a pretty shade of pink. Of course, looks were passed in my direction that I might have taken for, ‘How dare a female invade our sacred space?’ when actually most meant, ‘I wonder if she’s going to take her hits or cry’. Being
stubborn (and unable to prize the car keys from the guys I had come with) I figured it was time to man up and show them that I could get dirty – and take my hits with the best of them. Within 10 minutes of milling around and joining in the banter (I gave as good as I got, which seemed to go a long way), the briefing was over and there was no turning back. Armed with BBs, the universal motto of ‘don’t be a dick’, and the excellent
advice of ‘don’t shoot the marshals’, I was on my way. Yes, I got hit – and I took them. I think I may have been so conscious of this that I took hits from raindrops falling off the trees, but at least I couldn’t be branded the noob that doesn’t take them. The hits are a little stingy on bare skin, but not for long, and having a single eyebrow hair plucked is far worse. Was I shunned by the guys? Nope, I mucked in and was treated the same as everyone else. I was surprised how little I was fired upon or fired my own weapon, and considering there were over 80 players at the brief, I saw only a handful of them all day, including my own team. By the end of the day I was hooked, itching to buy my own M4, and looking forward to my next game. The question that I have asked myself on almost every game day following that is, ‘Why aren’t there more women playing airsoft?’ Now, I know that most of my more ‘girly’ friends think I’m mad spending Sunday running around and getting dirty instead of having a lie-in or going shopping, but I can bet that at least half of them would love it if they only gave it a go. So why do they think I’m mad? The same misconceptions that I had myself when I first heard about airsoft: it’s a guy thing; it’ll hurt; I’ll get the piss taken out of me; guns are scary. Looking on the internet for ‘women in airsoft’ doesn’t help. Going by the search results I should have been running around with DPM hot pants, inch-long talons
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“Hits are a little stingy on bare skin, but not for long, and having a single eyebrow hair plucked is far worse” and high heels on. Women aren’t stupid (well, most of us aren’t) but when you’re bombarded with these images when you’re seriously considering a sport, it does remind you that you’re entering a male-dominated world, and some of the advertising doesn’t do much to persuade you otherwise. Considering how many men are out there playing airsoft, at least a third of
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whom have better halves at home, and all of whom have female friends and family, why aren’t more women coming to see what all the fuss is about? Is it simply that the majority aren’t interested, or put off by what they assume it will be like? Or is it that men don’t want women to push in on their sport? The ‘military’ foundation of airsoft may not help either. In 1991, the Gulf War saw
the first deployment of British women in combat operations since 1945 and, although 9 per cent of the forces is now made up of women and we can carry out almost any role, there’s still one area that is a no-go – any role where the ‘primary duty is to kill the enemy’. But airsoft isn’t the Army. It’s a bunch of people who have found a sport they enjoy; they can relax and have a bit of banter and release some stress before coming back to the reality of life for another week or two. There’s no getting away from it: it is a male dominated sport and perhaps always will be. There will probably always be some idiot making stupid remarks such as ‘you hold off and let the guys go first, hen’ – although, in a year of playing, I’ve only experienced this attitude once and the ‘guys’ took care of him. You will always be trying to work out where the hell to go pee. But if you
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INSIDE FEATURE AIRSOFT | WOMEN IN AIRSOFT
have half a sense of humour, don’t whinge about getting your trousers dirty or a nail breaking. That way you will be accepted into the community and treated like one of the boys. Those first looks I was given (and am given on every new site I attend) are given to any noob or newcomer to that site, male or female. So what can we do to change this attitude? Perhaps we can take as much of the perceived ‘intimidating’ bits out of the equation as possible, or provide a ‘women’s intro to airsoft’ day. More women might give it a shot. Would your partner, sister, cousin, friend come along and try it for the day? And what about us girls that are already addicted – could we persuade more ladies to come along? You never know; they might enjoy it and become regulars.
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LETTERS | READERS WRITE
READERS WRITE Send your letters to: Letters, Airsoft Action, Morrell Street, Leamington Spa, Warks., CV32 5SZ, or email michaelh@blazepublishing.co.uk
Newbie Advice
Far East Airsoft
Sniper Tales
As a newbie airsofter, it was confusing figuring out which gun to buy first. With so many makes and different opinions on what is best, it’s difficult to find a reliable weapon at a good price. Thankfully I had help, and now have a Cybergun AK-47 and an Ares/ASG Dragunov. They’re not high end, but they’re reliable and fun to use. For anyone starting I would recommend an AEG, as they are so much more fun than sniper rifles, which all newbies appear to want, but soon realise their mistake. Andrew Lane
In Japan, over 10 million people play airsoft across the country, of which about 40 per cent are female, the reason being because it keeps the ladies in shape! There are a lot of ex-forces (Japanese and US) that do training here in Japan and teach the civvies about patrolling, engagement, survival, and sniper skills. A lot of airsofters head to Guam to learn how to use real steel, and many Japanese are better shots than some of the guys I worked with back in Australia who used real steel all their lives. I would like to see competitions set up between countries, like what Stirling Airsoft has done with their England v Scotland matches. A UK v Japan would be interesting… Via Facebook
What is the point in putting camo on, sticking camo on your gun, and wearing a ghillie suit for sniping, when you get followed about by a marshal wearing a high-vis jacket? It’s got to the point that, when I go through the trees, I look for a bright yellow dude to give me the location of the other team. Plus the marshals always seem to be standing in my line of sight! A bit like a ref standing in front of goal when you are about to shoot… Kevin Carper Barrow
Engine Angst
If you want real life simulation, then allow teams to use attack dogs. This would sort out the camping snipers. Imagine a 10-stone missile with teeth running at 25mph! Snipers just man up, stand up and move around. Wayne Lee Carson
The Gadget Show The profile of airsoft has been growing over the last few years, and considering the kit that is available today, surely The Gadget Show would be interested? The level of realism of the kit, the multitude of venues, the use of vehicles and even helicopters, and the range of events – from casual walk-ons to full-on MilSims, both UK and overseas – seems right up their street. It would also get the sport some decent exposure. Robert Redman The profile of airsoft is certainly growing rapidly – and I understand that The Gadget Show has tinkered with the idea of covering it but hasn’t done so yet. Maybe we’re not ‘geeky’ enough for them? To be honest, we’re more likely to get Clarkson, May and Hammond involved racing homebuilt ‘technicals’ across Salisbury Plains... With the cost and inconvenience of Simunition, more and more services, both military and civilian, are likely to be looking closely at airsoft as an alternative and one or two already are. I think we can safely say that the future of airsoft is looking pretty good at the moment and the more mainstream it becomes, the more likely we are to see it turning up on TV – Nige
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The engine on my M4 keeps coming loose. I’ve not been using it for a while, but I tried it recently and the engine simply stopped working. Any ideas why? I had this problem when I was airsofting at the beginning of April – and it’s really starting to get on my nerves now! Jesper Lindstrom Motor problems can be a real pain, and could mean a number of things. Take it to a reputable airsoft dealer with workshop facilities and ask them to take a look – Nige
Now that the foliage is coming back, I’ve noticed a lot of people moaning at someone using a sniper rifle. I’ve even seen comments such as, ‘If a guy dressed as a bush shoots me I’ll lace him up on full auto and wrap his gun around his neck.’ Some people just need to chill and get a grip! Personally, I love being ghillied up, a few feet away from the other team and waiting for them to move off past the minimum engagement distance so I can start shooting again. If you don’t like snipers in airsoft, go play paintball – it’s that simple. Jason Ferguson
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operation
placidus
Rough terrain, eight opposing teams, and a hunter killer force on the loose – Operation Placidus had it all, and Oscar Plummer was there to check it out…
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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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CAP’s Sandpit – a massive site nestled in the Kentish countryside – has quickly acquired the status of a must-play site. A mix of industrial buildings, shorelines, ridgelines, quarry and the fearsome Cardiac Hill, it’s regularly seeing walk-ons of over 100 players. It’s also the site of regular MilSim events, utilising landand waterborne vehicles. I’ve had the joy of playing the site several times, and it really is a peach, with a nice variety of terrain, along with brilliant opportunities for sweeping, flanking manoeuvres, balanced alongside generous lashings of CQB intensity.
The Scenario Today’s game is UCAP’s first attempt of something different at this site. Operation Placidus is the product of several months’ planning by the UCAP team, who have
decided to host an ‘escape and evasion’ event. In trying to get the best player experience out of the immense scale and variety of the site, the game will place an emphasis on teamwork, planning and navigation, rather than rigid command structures or weight of fire. It’s also a long game – players will be deployed for the next eight hours, with no trips back to safe; everything they need they will have to lug. To this end, teams of six players are being dispatched to navigate their way around a series of objectives in the fastest time possible. Each team is provided with a map of the site, a set of GPS co-ordinates, and is then tasked to plan their route however they wish. It’s up to each team to devise a route and then carry it through. When they make their way to each checkpoint, they will find a code and some
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EVENT REPORT | OPERATION PLACIDUS markers – the players each have a card to tag up with the appropriate symbol, and the code needs to be texted in to an ops room, the walls of which are covered in logs and maps to chart progress. Only once they receive confirmation can they proceed to the next point. However, it’s not entirely straightforward. Each team will be starting in a different location, and has no idea what route the other eight teams will be taking – so as well as moving fast, they’ll need to move carefully, not least because the game has been set up to ensure that poorly-planned confrontation or profligate expenditure of ammunition will severely
limit a team’s chances of winning. While points will be awarded for speed in completing the course, points will also be docked for players KIA – but on the flip side, if a team knocks another group of players out of the fight, they can expect a bump up the leaderboard! However, the emphasis is firmly on navigation, stealth and teamwork, so each player is restricted to 800 rounds in midcaps and a small number of medic tabs – just four lives to last all day. However, each player is issued with three coins that can be exchanged for a resupply of either ammo or medic tabs. However, a single resupply of ammo or medic tabs costs
two coins, so teams have to combine their resources to get the best possible supplies. Additionally, resupply requests have to be called into the ops centre, which will issue them with co-ordinates to travel to in short order – usually about 10 minutes. If they don’t make this rendezvous, the courier with their supplies will bug out and issue another resupply – at another location, in another 10 minutes. So that’s the task – but not the whole of the challenge. Standing in each group’s way are another eight teams, so there are plenty of hostile elements in play! Added to that is a vehicle-borne hunter-killer (HK) force, tasked to get out and cause
“I’ve had the joy of playing the site several times, and it really is a peach” mischief… and they’re riding around in a thoroughly fearsome WMIK, packing a .50cal and a GPMG as well as a squad of dismounts. This gang of miscreants will spend the day cruising around the site, looking for trouble and occasionally being steered onto engagements with the help of high-powered spotting scopes which are surveying the site from the high ground. The HK force is there to help play, though, not hinder it. Their rules of engagement are clear: if a team is making an effort to conceal themselves from the WMIK, they’ll let them be – if a team gets a bit, well, silly and tries to take them on, they’ll unleash the fury! But ultimately, the hardest opponent of all is the terrain. The 12 checkpoints are spaced out across nearly 1,000 acres of pretty rough scenery, so teams have got a lot of ground to cover on a pretty hot day. Starting from 10:30, teams begin to be shuttled out to their starting points in UCAP’s Snatch Land Rover. Drop-offs are spread randomly across the site – no team is briefed where they are, so the first job is to pinpoint their location. Teams are briefed that they can start moving
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The HK force gunner spots some players from the back of the WMIK
immediately at drop off, but that no checkpoint will open until 11:00.
Game On So, with the teams all dropped into the field, I decided to wander up to the ops centre to watch early progress. I didn’t have long to wait; messages started to come in on the dot of 11:00, so obviously some teams had had their Weetabix for breakfast! Team 3 had their first objective logged in at 11:04, followed by Teams 2 and 5, who had gotten off to a similarly swift start. About 10 minutes later, the ops centre got their first call for resupply, which raised some eyebrows – surely no team could have gotten into a scrap so soon? Things got even more startling when the team requested a full slate of ammo and medic
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tabs, blowing their entire allowance in one fell swoop. Nonetheless, the team were directed to a RV point, and as the quad bike disappeared off over the horizon to deliver the consignment, the staff in the ops room concluded that the team had decided to take a gamble and stock up now, rather than risk having to hole up at a crucial point later in the day and wait for a resupply to make it to them. A risky strategy – they might end up with full mags but no-one to fire them – but obviously strategic thinking was coming to the fore. Over the next couple of hours, a steady stream of calls came into the ops room as the teams began to bag objectives; a quick stock-check at midday showed that nearly every objective had been visited by at least one team. Then, at 12:45, we got
our first report of contact; Team 5 called in to report that they had been bushwhacked and completely eliminated – there were no active players remaining to administer medic tabs, so they were out of the fight. At this point, the UCAP team took what I thought to be a sensible approach; they considered the state of play and decided to alter the rules. Originally, teams that were completely knocked out were supposed to become part of the HK force, but early developments suggested this might hinder rather than help play. Instead, Team 5 was instructed to bunker up for half an hour then re-join play, albeit with a head-start on earning the wooden spoon! Looking at the ops board, it was also clear that Team 4 had got their mojo on and were clocking up objectives at a rate of knots – so again, the UCAP team got
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their heads together and decided on a bit of subtle game management. The HK force was contacted and directed to the general vicinity of Team 4, with instructions to make their presence felt.
Reconnaissance Looking out across the site, I could see a number of teams moving around, so I decided to take a walk and see what I could find. Walking the perimeter of the site took a couple of hours – and I’d never fully grasped the huge scale of the Sandpit. On most walk-ons, only a portion of the site is used. Today, though, I got the full picture. I crossed hard sandy ridges, went up onto a green, undulating plateau, dropped down around the lakeshore, through a heavily wooded series of valleys, up over the massive,
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lofty Cardiac Hill (never was a feature so well named…) and then back through the industrial units below the safe zone. There’s something for everyone at this site! On my way, I bumped into several teams and got a flavour for how they were finding the game. My first encounter was with Team 7 (Black Rain) who were busy capturing a checkpoint. I was almost on top of them before I realised they were there. My hands went up above my head very swiftly to avert a judicious lacing! Further on around the site, I bumped into several other teams, all of whom were moving carefully and tactically, using all the cover they could. On one occasion, I picked up some voices, but couldn’t track down the team’s location. I was about to give up and move on, when I looked upwards and spotted a team perched 40ft above me on a hillside – thankfully they were busy getting some scoff down their necks rather than shooting at me. I also took the opportunity to check out some of the objectives – these were simple stakes and flags, with a container for the codes and player tags. However, some had been sited fairly obviously, while others were concealed in a manner verging on the dastardly, especially one which was on probably the highest part of the site and another that was in a dip that concealed it until the players were literally on top of it. Back in the ops centre, I checked in on progress. By mid-afternoon, three teams
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were edging ahead, but no one team was way out in front. There had also been further contacts; the HK force had had a couple of brushes and had gone so far as to take a couple of players captive, pressing them into service as dismounts. Team 2 and then the speedy Team 4 followed in Team 5’s footprints, and were wiped out. One doughty team had also lost some players to injury and sickness, but elected to carry on regardless. By 16:00, things were hotting up. Action started to concentrate around a few crunch checkpoints; some of the industrial buildings on the site became hotly contested features, and we watched eagerly as two separate teams started the climb up the southern side of Cardiac Hill, unaware that a third team were peering over the crest of the feature, having scaled the opposite side! The ops centre, taking pity on the team that was unwittingly wandering into the centre of that particular meatgrinder, texted all three teams that they were ‘danger close’! Then, at 16:05, Team 1 became the first team to call in all checkpoints complete, taking the top spot by a fairly narrow margin over Team 5, who had staged a comeback after their earlier pasting! Subsequently, teams 2, 7, 3 and 8 managed to score all the points as the event came to a close. In a nice touch, the results were announced and a series of suitably cheesy trophies awarded.
Final Thoughts Operation Placidus was refreshingly different, and feedback from players was positive. The emphasis was on thinking, teamwork, skills and endurance and all of those were brought out in the experience. Despite a relatively low level of engagement, it certainly wasn’t lacking intensity, as threats were always just over the next hillock! There was also a huge level of sportsmanship evident among the players. The UCAP team also kept a close eye on how the game was developing and weren’t shy of altering their plans if needed – and the HK force was deployed sparingly to help play along. Each player got a free patch, a post-game BBQ, and a discount on the next day’s walk-on pretty – all for a modest £40. The sequel to Operation Placidus is being planned at the moment, with feedback from players being factored in to make it even better – so keep your eyes out for details.
INFORMATION & PRICES UCAP Sandpit LOCATION: Bean, Dartford, Kent, DA2 8AH WEB: www.ucap.co.uk/sandpit TEL: 02392 570075 EMAIL: info@ucap.co.uk PRICES: £30 walk-on; £50 with rental (fullday). £15 walk-on (mid-week evening)
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to the manor born
The grounds of a sinister, crumbling old stately home make for a great CQB experience, as Ron Mahoney finds out (Photography: Allan Brown)
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or decades now, the Cheshire village of Daresbury has grown accustomed to having large numbers of visitors arrive in the area, as this sleepy hamlet is the birthplace of the author Charles Dodgson. Never heard of him? Ah, well maybe you’ll be more familiar with his pen-name, then, a certain Lewis Carroll, author of Alice In Wonderland. Dodgson was actually born a mile or so down the road from Daresbury, and there is a visitor centre there catering to people from all over the world. Finding your way to the village centre from the M56 motorway is, therefore, simple. As you arrive in the centre of the village, you turn onto Daresbury Lane
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and follow that road for a mile or so – and suddenly the signs of the Lewis Carroll visitor trail give way to curious orange and black signs that lead down a long driveway. As you follow this path through the shrubs, a curious hall with many locked doors of all sizes appears in front of you. This is Daresbury Hall – also know as The Manor – which covers a staggering 35-acre site, and was built back in 1759 for the Heron family. For the early part of its life, it served as a majestic stately home. During WWII, the estate and grounds were converted to a military hospital, and after the war, the estate was sold to the National Spastics
Society (now known as Scope), and was used as a care home and school. It was lastly sold to a private buyer and made a home again, but sadly, due to poor maintenance, the building fell into a state of disrepair and eventually became uninhabitable. The main building is now far too dangerous to let anyone in (including airsofters) but thankfully there are numerous annexes attached to The Manor, as well as dozens of outbuildings in the grounds, that still make this a superb mixed CQB venue. The site is managed by Zed Adventures, who also run Thunder Ranch, The Mall, Battle Lakes, and others. When they initially
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SITE REVIEW | THE MANOR gained permission to use The Manor, it was used for zombie-themed events, but thankfully this has now been opened up to airsoft. The site is very well run, giving the impression that it has been operating for years. I was met at the gate by a marshal and directed up the sweeping drive to the allocated parking area next to the safe zone. Work to convert one of the buildings to a safe zone is still on-going, and will help accommodate the preferred player
count of 30. As the site is still in the early stages, only essentials such as toilets are on site – but at the moment, and due to the remote location, it is advisable to bring your own food with you. In their clear and concise briefing, the marshals explained that all full-auto weapons have a max 350fps, with semiauto shooting only once inside. In the grounds, squad weapons and bolt-action sniper rifles may be used (500fps max), but they cannot be taken inside. If this
is your normal gaming role, then you will need to use your pistol once inside. Most readily available pyros can be used, and smoke is permitted outdoors. Having left the safe zone, the first group of buildings you enter are the stable and paddocks in the grounds. Constructed mainly of sandstone block, these substantial outbuildings are surrounded by overgrown foliage and covered in ivy. This will usually be the start and regen area for one of the
“You want to move, but a quick dash is your only hope from here on in. Heroics are out the window. It’s played with a sense of fun, and it’s the sort of short-burst scenario that puts a smile on people’s faces” www.airsoftactionmagazine.com
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teams – and they are a real rat-run of interlocking buildings that you have to be switched on to defend, as it’s all too easy for one of your opponents to get in behind you. From this complex, you then head towards the main manor building that dominates the skyline. As we were led inside The Manor’s annexe buildings to our starting point, we were briefed on our first phase in a rolling scenario. For this phase, our team had captured one of the enemy agents, and they wanted him back. After we had been given our start point and regen, I noticed everyone else charge off into the buildings. One of the marshals turned to me and my other remaining teammate, and said, “Well at least you lads have stayed around to protect the hostage then!” Indeed, if we’d completely abandoned the room our hostage was in, we would have left a big back door open for the enemy. We settled into a close protection role and had a look at other routes our opponents might approach from. During this time, I descended into a
A friendly game of hide and seek…
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Players prepare to storm a room
subterranean corridor that went far beyond the range of my torch beam. This area underneath the annexe buildings virtually doubles the site’s ‘footprint’, but thankfully for us, in this game they weren’t in play. As the inevitable attacks came in, we had a great stand-off in one of the corridors, as we held out against numerous bangs from pyros and the cracks of BBs rattling off the woodwork around us. We were then put on a ‘hit and out’ footing, and although well protected, a BB thwacked against my finger. “Damn it,” I thought; we were doing really well. Soon we lost control of the agent. We were now tasked with getting back into the building, to try to find where the enemy had moved. Our starting point was one of the site’s most unique features – and the first time I’ve played airsoft in a swimming pool. Okay, to be fair, the water had long since gone, but in its day this was part of the hospital’s main rehabilitation areas. We now used the three-foot ‘shallow end’ of the pool as a great piece of cover to duck down behind. If that was the advantage, the disadvantage was that the pool leads
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to a long corridor that is pitch black and gives lots of cover to the defender. With the bright area surrounded, the pool guarantees any of our attacking force would be silhouetted and an easy pick-off. So, despite the cover offered by the pool walls, most of us ran past the end of the corridor while trying to avoid being shot by both sides. However, on the plus side, the outside area of the annexe complex has plenty of cover in which you can try to get back into the building – it just seemed we were struggling to find them, not to mention the agent. Over lunch, I picked up my torch and went out to explore the site, which is so large that I wouldn’t get to see it all while in-game. The buildings are a mix of light and airy spaces with patches of thick
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foliage and lots of corridors leading off to numerous smaller spaces. The connecting corridors are again dimly lit, and it was obvious that if you have a decent defence position, then enemy team movement through these areas would be difficult. Another large feature of the site is straightforward woodland, probably the old garden areas that are now well overgrown. During the afternoon, we carried on with the scenario as the game ebbed and flowed around the annexe buildings and stable block. It was fast paced, full-blooded CQB, and I lost count of the number of scenarios the organisers threw at us, but it was an ideal way to keep the games moving. It is very easy for CQB to become bogged down into a conveyer belt of hit players moving back and forth to regen.
Back at the safe zone, it was time to bomb our mags up again for one of the favourite games – shotguns and pistols v AEGs! A small team was selected to undergo the ‘against all odds’ attack on an enemy stronghold. The shotgun and pistol team start at an unknown location somewhere within the site. The AEG team’s brief was to storm a heavily manned and fortified stronghold. Due to the pistol and shotgun team’s large numbers, they could employ spotters, keeping an eye out for any movement. But after a while, the wind starts to play tricks on you, suggesting possible movement. A regen point was on offer for the attacking squad, and a hit-and-out for the defenders. It took a while, but when the fire started, it started! The defenders needed to conserve ammo due to the overwhelming firepower of AEGs over pistols. When the numbers of defenders started to fall, the game became intense. You become conscious of your remaining team and their location. You want to move, but a quick dash is your only hope from here on in. Heroics are out the window. It’s played with a sense of fun, and it’s the sort of short-burst scenario that puts a smile on people’s faces and has everyone trooping back to the safe zone chatting and laughing as end-ex is called. Although it’s disappointing that you can’t play in The Manor itself, Zed Adventures have more than made up for this with a combination of other features, and creating some very eerie ‘sets’ from their zombie experiences. As we headed back down the drive, we passed the imposing main house, and to our left the perfectly landscaped lake. I sat back in the car seat and began to think of all the great possibilities the site has to offer and I reflected, just as Lewis Carroll’s Alice had, this could be a site of “happy summer days”.
INFORMATION & PRICES Zed Adventures: The Manor LOCATION: Daresbury Hall, Daresbury Lane, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 4AG WEB: www.zedadventures.co.uk TEL: 07966 412720 EMAIL: pete@zedevents.co.uk PRICES: £30 walk-on fee; £40 with rental
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AIRSOFT SAFETY | FACE PROTECTION
PLAYING IT SAFE Safety always comes first on the airsoft field – as James Badura reminds us with a run-down of the face protection options on the market
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JAMES BADURA James Badura first started playing airsoft eight years ago. He is the owner of Badgertac 2, which makes him the youngest airsoft retail store owner in the UK! His every minute now revolves around airsoft.
ull face protection is becoming ever more popular on the airsoft field – and is naturally mandatory for any player under the age of 18, as I’m sure you’ve heard countless times in the safety briefings. Now, hearing the word ‘protection’, a lot of dirty-minded airsofters out there might start giggling – but it’s a serious issue! So why is it important to wear full face protection? Let’s weigh up the pros and cons of wearing a full face mask or half face mask, plus glasses or goggles. The two main reasons for players not wearing face protection beyond just a pair of safety glasses is that, firstly, a mask doesn’t look as cool, or very military, and secondly, lensed full face masks tend to mist or fog up a lot easier that a set of specs. But is it really worth the risk? Perhaps in a woodland game site where engagement
distances are a lot greater than in buildingto-building CQB games – but I’ve seen some horrific facial injuries caused by airsoft, none being malicious or intentional. These include BBs popping out of cheeks exposing an open wound, dentists bills in excess of £300, and even a player choking on a tooth that had just been shot out. All of these could have easily been avoided by face protection. And while I’m on the subject of injuries, some sites’ insurance terms and conditions only cover players if they are wearing full face protection while active on site: another bit of food for thought. Without wanting to bore you all with safety (you no doubt have enough of it drummed into you on a Sunday morning), another factor that doesn’t do face masks any favours is their price. For a top face mask that won’t mist or fog up, from the
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likes of Dye or Empire/JT, you can expect to pay anywhere from £90-£140. Another bugging factor that presents itself when talking to multiple full face users is that some masks make it impossible to see down optics mounted on the user’s weapon. I can imagine the annoyance after purchasing an optic, only to turn up at a skirmish site, place the reticle on your enemy… then bam! Your mask bangs into your stock. For players that wear glasses, full face masks can be a great deal easier and cheaper to use than safety glasses with prescription inserts, as the cheapest quote from an opticians that I have heard is around the £80 mark. We airsofters just have to do everything the expensive way!
Mesh, Foam and Plastic So, what’s on the market? Some may not think that there is a great deal of variation in available full face protection, but there’s more to it than just masks. It could be a combo of glasses or goggles and a mask, balaclava, shemagh, mesh mouthguard – you choose. Mesh masks and goggles first started to become popular in airsoft about two years ago and have taken the industry by storm. The company TMC really developed and tested the mesh variation of full face protection with its Strike series, which has left us with the V2 half face mask that we see on every skirmish – usually accompanied by either a set of mesh goggles, whether that be large, small, OD, khaki or black. Even in just
TMC STRIKE V2
FMA IRON MAN MASK
FEATURES: Half-face design, metal mesh, adjustable straps PRICE: Around £20
FEATURES: Fibre-glass construction, hand-painted, mesh eye protection PRICE: From £30
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AIRSOFT SAFETY | FACE PROTECTION DYE I4 GOGGLE FEATURES: Dual-stage foam, anatomical design, anti-fog lens PRICE: From £90 INFO: www.dyepaintball.com
EMPIRE E-FLEX GOGGLE FEATURES: Vents quick-change lens, Spectra Foam PRICE: From £70 INFO: www.empirepaintball.com
“I’ve seen some horrific facial injuries caused by airsoft, none being malicious or intentional” mesh products there is great variation. The next category within face protection is your typical full face mask. Everyone is familiar with the standard rental face mask – meshed or goggled eye protection with a moulded plastic lower, riveted or all in one job – but we don’t have to look far for a fancy ‘Gucci’ version of these. Two main manufacturers spring to mind – but they both fall within the ‘p-word’ industry… yes, I do mean paintball! Dye and Empire both have top end masks – Dye with the i4, and Empire with the e-Flex goggle – and both
deserve a full description, as clearly a lot of research has gone into producing these masks. We are seeing more and more players using them on the airsoft field. The Dye i4 is described as being ‘anatomically correct’, and offers the best in comfort for all facial contours. As far as testing goes, the masks are trialled at twice the current impact standards set out by ASTM and CE products testing agencies. To us laymen, the foam within a face mask is just foam – but I never realised how scientific foam can be! Dye’s
proprietary dual-stage foam combines open- and closed-cell technology. Dualstage foam is specifically designed to ‘sheet’ sweat and moisture away from your face, providing an undeniably resilient boundary between the user’s eyes and perspiration. The Empire e-Flex goggle comes with the proven Vents quick-change lens system and thermo-foam earpieces from the E-Vent mask, combined with a little touch of comfy Spectra foam, forming a truly comfortable mask. The Vents lens removes in seconds, and the clear, dual-pane design provides maximum viewing angle and visual clarity, while the comfortable ProFlex foam assures the most satisfying fit. The ultra soft and flexible ProFlex style skirt offers excellent breathability and voice projection and has been tweaked
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AIRSOFT SAFETY | FACE PROTECTION
to produce a smaller profile. The Empire e-Flex goggle provides you with maximum comfort, is super lightweight, and offers excellent protection.
Man In The Iron Man Mask I could go on all day about high-end masks. A great deal of research and trial and error has gone into these products to produce something flawless and worthy of a place on the airsoft field – but that is also reflected in the price tag. Having said that, JT, a branch of Empire, does produce an airsoft-specific mask that is not too high tech, but is designed to allow the airsofter to shoulder a rifle and still have full sight of the weapon’s sights or optics. The final sector of the full face mask market that I want to cover is the novelty style masks. Originally, if you saw an Iron Man or Master Chief mask on the airsoft field, you would know straight away that it
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was a custom-build. Now they are widely available, either online or at your local shop. A company by the name of FMA are producing novelty masks that adhere to airsoft standards. Built from a fibre-glass structure and hand painted with mesh eye protection, the build quality of these masks is second to none. As for variation, they range from your typical Iron Man mask, to Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe, and even Chinese anime masks – plus very surreal Nazi zombie and Terminator masks. The comfort offered by these is also surprising, almost as surprising as the £45 price tag: quite a bargain considering the effort involved in creating these. Plus, seeing an Iron Man or Terminator mask popping out from behind a bush at a skirmish site always causes quite a few giggles around the playing field. It is obvious that full face protection will keep you safer, and protect you from
any unwanted trips to the dentist – but if you’re the type of player that prefers a brand new pair of Smith Optic Arcs in multicam rather than a DYE, JT, FMA, or Empire, then you’ll only have yourselves to blame when teeth going missing or you’re popping out BBs from your cheeks. But then, there is nothing stopping you getting a half face mesh mask or even a balaclava. We’re all used to seeing the skull balaclava made popular by the Ghost in Call of Duty:
Modern Warfare 2. I’m even guilty of buying one myself! It is definitely worth double-checking ourselves every time we step out to play airsoft. Nonetheless, there’s a time and a place for everything. I’m sure full face masks don’t fit in on MilSim operations at an MoD training site – but then not many of us would turn up to a CQB site with narrow corridors and low visibility wearing a set of safety glasses and nothing else!
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Though barely a decade old, ActionSportGames ranks highly on the global airsoft stage. In a two-part series, we go behind the scenes at their Denmark HQ, where we were granted an audience with the company’s MD…
INSIDE ASG:
PART 1 A
ctionSportGames – or ASG – is a highly-respected airsoft brand across the globe, not to mention one of the biggest success stories in the industry. Though its origins can be traced back to 1998, it wasn’t until 2003 that ASG – the company – was established as a standalone label. Since then it’s enjoyed huge growth thanks to the very committed workforce headed up by co-founders Johnny Pedersen (CEO) and Henrik Grobelnik (General Director). By trade, they were engineers, but also entrepreneurs who were quick to identify an opportunity to import Japanese-made airsoft guns into Denmark where the sport was a booming, if not underground, pastime during the 1990s. “Initially,” said Henrik, “we were creating custom parts as a sideline for a friend of ours who was retailing airsoft guns to the Danish players. But we saw there was huge potential to set up an import and distribution system.” Their first shipment immediately sold
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INSIDE AIRSOFT | ACTIONSPORTGAMES out to the two retail customers that they had secured! So Henrik quit his engineering job, followed shortly by Johnny, in order to concentrate on the airsoft distribution business full-time under the banner Pederson & Grobelnik (P&G). Within five years, P&G had become established enough to hold talks with a hobby company called Vestergaard, who specialised in toys and airsoft guns from Tokyo Marui and KWC. Ultimately, Vestergaard’s airsoft arm merged with P&G – and ASG was formed in April 2003. “It gave us a much stronger platform from which to trade in the wider airsoft market,” Henrik explained, “and we were able to focus not just on Scandinavia, but also countries like France and Italy, where we were seeing airsoft taking off in a big way.” While it’s clear that the Danish company was in the right place at the right time, ASG’s success cannot be attributed solely to luck. Under skilful leadership, they identified new markets and expanded their operations by setting up offices around the world, the latest of which is due to come on stream in Los Angeles, California any day now. But more significant than that is ASG’s vision to the future. Very early on, Johnny and Henrik identified the importance of licensing as a key element in the growth of their business. At present, ActionSportGames has exclusive worldwide license agreements for no fewer than 29 firearm brands – including ‘big guns’ like CZ, Bersa, Dan Wesson, STI and Steyr Mannlicher – and the company’s aim is to become the number one name in the firearms replica supply business. They also have some agreements to sublicense, giving a third party the right to produce a replica to which ASG have been granted ‘first rights’. The corridors of ASG’s admin headquarters in Humlebaek, a 40-minute drive north of Copenhagen, are decorated with diplomas attesting to the company’s success in the Danish financial markets. Equally impressive – and important – are the licence agreements which adorn the walls of Henrik’s office. “These licenses grant us access to all the design drawings of real steel firearms,” explained Henrik, with a hint of pride in his voice. “We get given every last morsel of data – their dimensions, weight, textures and markings. We even get sent
their guns so that we can achieve the same sort of balance, although obviously we use alternative internal components on our replicas, so sometimes need to add weights in different parts to achieve this.” Investing in the manufacture of a licensed product is not something they take lightly. “It can cost up to 250,000 euros and take a year or two to develop even something as small as one pistol,” Henrik divulged. “With that sort of investment, we have to make sure we choose the right product, and that there’s enough of a long-term market. It’s tricky, because it takes time to bring a licensed product to market, by which time the real gun will no longer be new. That’s why we like to concentrate on securing license agreements with brands like CZ: those which are highly respected.” Presently, the manufacture of the new products is undertaken in the Far East, and the prototypes are sent back and forth to Denmark during the refinement process before the moulds – which cost tens of thousands of euros – are ultimately approved and the tooling operation commences. In view of these costs, the same outer moulds are used to accommodate the CO2 and spring versions of a particular model, although there may be some different tooling required for the internal mechanisms. “We are presently looking to bring some manufacture closer to home,” revealed Henrik. “By automating the process and removing much of the human resource cost element, we can manufacture components just as competitively. Besides investing in the European economy, we also have much more control through the design and tooling phases.” The first of these Scandinavian-made ASGs is likely to be seen at the end of the year – the CZ P-09 Duty blowback. It’s set to be quite a coup for another reason, too, as pointed out by ASG’s International Sales and Marketing Manager, Christian Olsen. “CZ only unveiled this at the Nuremberg IWA trade show this March, so if we can get our replica on sale by the end of the year, it’ll almost beat the release of the real thing!” he joked. “Speed to market is another reason why we are so keen to look at controlling more of the production process ourselves.” Understandably, manufacturing under license is strictly controlled, so ASG has to ensure that anything it makes bearing
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the licensor’s name is approved by them – although such is the reputation of the Danish brand now, that a few of the firearms manufacturers have given ASG the green light without even wanting to see even a pre-production prototype! Talking of pre-production guns, lurking in the strong-boxes within ASG’s Humlebaek design department was a CZ Shadow ‘in the white’ [1] – a spring-powered shell complete with its optional blowback mechanism. “The outer casing will basically cover the 6mm spring gun,” advised Christian, “while the modified top slide and action will cater for the 4.5 and 6mm CO2 versions. One chassis, three models.” Other new ASG models pending release were a two-tone Bersa BP9cc and an eight-inch version of the chrome Dirty Harry Dan Wesson sporting a newly-styled faux-wood grip [2]. The latter is also set to become a ‘power down’ model, sub-1J, to improve its appeal for skirmishers. “We’re seeing a big trend away from AEGs toward CO2 guns,” commented Christian,
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“so we’re currently working on a different cartridge system for the Dan Wesson to comply with the skirmish sites.” We were also shown a new CO2 variant of the M1 Carbine [3] which is likely to retail around the £300 mark. “We did think
about offering it in real wood,” explained Christian, “but we actually found a plastic stock to be better quality for the price.” Offering around 70 shots from a 12g CO2 capsule, the design of the new semi-auto is more reliable. As well as the hardware, Henrik also let Airsoft Action in on its latest ammo development in ASG’s highly-praised Blaster line – the Devil [4]. Though presently available in black, in .20g guise, this new 0.25g round is made in a ‘camouflaged’ green hue to make it difficult to spot when used in a sniping capacity. Although ASG’s manufacturing process takes place many thousands of miles away, ASG’s Denmark operation is anything but small – and its Humlebaek offices are not just a glorified admin centre. They incorporate a diversity of departments befitting of any HQ hub for a global company, like an in-house lawyer to deal with the differing legislation across the world and an on-site development, testing and servicing centre. “We actually run a two-day training course in servicing for retailers,” explained Christian as he took us through bustling workshops, “but some shooters and shops still prefer to have their guns repaired or serviced at source. So we can do that here, with our highly-trained technicians.” This is a vital part of the whole operation, as information and patterns on returned products can be assessed and, if necessary, action taken to improve components in future batches. Indeed, much development work is undertaken
Henrik Grobelnik, ASG’s General Director
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INSIDE AIRSOFT | ACTIONSPORTGAMES
ASG’s on-site technical staff service the company’s products at source
ASG employees are equally at home with an M4 in their hands as they are a keyboard and mouse
at Humlebaek, and alongside the various tools to strip all manner of airsoft kit, there were computers whirring away with stateof-the-art CAD programmes in constant use. Even the Design department – where much of the point-of-sale literature and
Replica guns are tested on ASG’s specially-constructed shooting tunnel
packaging evolves – are as at home working with an M4 in their hands as they are a computer keyboard and mouse! Guns and components like batteries and magazines are tested on a speciallyconstructed shooting tunnel – the best job to have there, for sure! Once ready for return to the customer, these are transferred to a giant warehousing facility that ASG has half-an-hour’s drive to the
west of the country. And while ‘warehouse’ may not necessarily conjure up an aweinspiring picture in your imagination, this is ASG we’re talking about. It is, in fact, 8,000 square metres of a very high-tech pick-and-pack distribution hub that sees up to eight lorries come and go every day – and also includes the epicentre of the Blaster BB operation, details of which we’ll report on next issue.
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SKILLS ROOM | BILLY BASICS
fighting fit
It’s easy to get complacent about fitness when preparing for an airsoft event – so Billy Basics reminds us how to stay on top of our physical game
I
was recently sitting on the sofa with a glass of white wine; nearby was an almost empty bottle, but don’t judge me – it wasn’t a school night! I was watching Band of Brothers, and reflecting on the vigorous, 24year military career behind me. I’m in my early 40s now, but I’ve experienced plenty of the usual good stuff – leaping out of planes, into buildings (although not from one to the other) – and, sitting there, I still felt like I could still do all that charging around that they do in the Commando paperbacks you read on the beach. But the illusion that I was still in my 20s was about to be fragged. It was actor Damian Lewis that went and ruined it all for me, thanks to a scene in Band of Brothers when Captain Winters leads an assault on an unsuspecting SS Platoon, with Easy Coy following hot on his heels. He sprints over the open ground alone, up the dyke, and caps that Jerry before brassing up the rest of them. Apart from feeling for the poor young man that gets a round in the chest while rolling up his doss bag (they are tear jerkers aren’t they? Well, they are for an old fella like me) my
overriding feeling was, ‘Oh my God; there’s no way on God’s green earth that I could do that now!’ I could get there, but wouldn’t be able to hit a barn door I’d be breathing so hard. At that point I realised I am actually a fairly long way from being ‘fit to fight’. I am nearer ‘fit for sweet Fanny Adams,’ which is slightly worrying as I recently agreed to run the Bournemouth Marathon dressed as a war reporter/camera man with body armour, helmet and a camera. I might have to rethink that particular goal. It was quite a moment. When you’re young you can hold onto fitness relatively easily, but as you get on a bit you have to work at it. Here I want to share a few of my memories, and a few things I have learned along the way that should help airsofters stay on top of their physical fitness and, like the Parachute Regiment, be utrinque paratus: ready for anything. In a nutshell, you need to mix up your training and not just stick to what you like doing because its easy and you’re good at it. You won’t get ‘man fit’ by doing that, or have the
ability to cope with most physical challenges that come your way, be that lifting a wounded colleague onto a vehicle, filling sandbags, digging trenches, or carrying out stuff at home.
Basic Training Humping big bergens around the mountains from one RV to the next will prepare you well for stamina. Big thighs like Garth or Thor mean you’ll have a big healthy ticker – but don’t do what I did and neglect the rest of your body. When we were finally allowed to drop our bergens and got to the soldiering bit I was at a significant disadvantage. I hadn’t really thought through what was to follow; my biceps and triceps were like elastic bands, and for the first few weeks I suffered until I caught up. And as for my core strength – well I can tell you that the command ‘prone position down’ before a beasting still makes me shudder. Spend some time on your back, tummy and core. It’ll make everything you do so much easier. And for goodness sake don’t do any running in boots when you’re training in your own time. You’ll smash your knees, ankles
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Sweden Many people might see a trip to the Arctic as a chance for a bit of skiing, maybe some downhill, followed by a sauna and a night on the lash? Well, not in my experience. I spent two weeks on the ranges with skis on at -30 degrees. Can you imagine anything harder? I found downhill tough to learn when I was a kid, and now I a had belt kit, bergen and a rifle – plus two skis that were clearly conscientious objectors, as they wanted to go the other way. It was completely out of my comfort zone, but I had prepared for it. We had time to get used
and ligaments to bits. During your life, if you soldier or do lots of airsofting, you will pick up injuries that’ll plague you; that’s the price you pay, sadly. But don’t pile on the suffering by running in boots. Trainers are the thing to wear – hence the name, ‘trainers’. Simple, eh?
Afghanistan In Afghanistan, after a rigorous physical training (PT) schedule when we were preparing to go out, we’d settled into our new home for the next six months, and we all fell into a routine of work and rest. Rest normally meant watching films, slobbing about and not a lot of time in the gym. A few of the guys went to begin with and then even they stopped going. I tended to run a fair bit but one of my bad habits is that I
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do PT that I like and I know I’m good at and that’s no hassle: so it’s usually running. That was right up to one morning that I will never forget, and always comes back to me when I think I’m fit. We were all lined up just about to fire our personal weapons on the range; the boss came up to one of the lads and said, “Not seen you in the gym recently!” Silence from everyone. “Okay, you lie on the ground… and you pick him up and carry him to the hut”. As you can imagine, there was no laughter as we watched this poor bloke struggle like hell to manage it. We weren’t under fire, time pressure or any other form of pressure for that matter, and we all knew we weren’t fit enough. So every morning from then on when we were in camp we did PT, and boy did it make a difference.
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SKILLS ROOM | BILLY BASICS to the skis and the cold, and consequently it was brilliant fun, hard but fantastic, and that’s the key to this. If you’re fit, prepared and squared away, nothing is too hard or out of your grasp. What about the approach, ‘no pain no gain’? I never really subscribed to that one. Why? Well, because I don’t like pain. I love training, and getting out and about is good for the soul and body – but pain is a signal from the body that all is not well. To get the best performance from yourself you don’t need to smash it every day. Only you know what your body is telling
you, but you’ll also know if it is saying, ‘Not today big fella, you’re not fit enough for this.’ Take your foot off the gas and plan to tackle it in a month’s time when you’re better prepared.
Final Thoughts So what now? Well currently, because I have handed my operational kit in and am not going back over to take the fight to the bad guys, I am doing what I have been denied for the last 20 years and have really missed since I left school – and that is get involved in competitive sport. Like thousands of other immensely proud Brits, I was absolutely blown away by the Brownlee brothers smashing the opposition in the Olympic triathlon last year, and so am having a crack at a few of those this summer.
It’s true that triathlon is a rich man’s sport. You can be far fitter than the millionaire on the blocks next to you, but when he gets on his £5,000 bike that weighs as much as your swimming goggles he’s going to blow you away on your district nurse’s bike. But your aim is not to win initially – it’s about taking part, and then getting better and better. Fitness definitely wins; you’ll benefit in every part of your life. One final thing. It’s all very well reading this and going, ‘yeah Billy, I hear ya bro’ – but unless, when you’ve finished reading the mag, you get your phone out, download one of the training apps and actually get out there and start your fitness journey, it’s no good. See you on the paths everyone. I’ll be the old bloke screaming past you: ‘so long, suckers!’ Catch me if you can. Billy out.
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Airsoft Action readers send in their personal snapshots from skirmishes across the UK and further afield… Chris Simpson defending the Chinook at Bunker 31 in Aberdeenshire
wells playing Dean Greatbatch (left) and Davie Ho ffordshire as bad guys at Frontier Airsoft in Sta
‘Stomper Wm’ does a running window jump in the pistols v AEGs game at The Manor… then legs it to safety!
The DWB airsoft tea m (Mark Dore, Ada m Bailey and James S hephard) in action
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Aaron Oliver at MAW airsoft, taking in the current situation and planning his next move
lins, Jade Cane Left to right: Craig Jef frey, Ryan Col in Crail and Logan Cane at Fife Wargames
Marvin Perez and Travis Strickland on the Black Ops II Zombie Bus, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Ian Lawrence and his son enjoying a ga me of airsoft together
Fancy seeing yourself in Airsoft Action? Send in your photos via email (michaelh@blazepublishing.co.uk) or share on our Facebook page (/AirsoftAction), plus a few words describing what’s going on in the image.
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COLD WAR WARRIOR | ROYAL NAVY FORWARD OBSERVER
F.O.O Fighters Delving back into the Falklands War era, Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey, looks at the loadout of the Royal Navy forward observation officer – or FOO – circa 1982
F
The Falklands War era forward observation officer
ire support is a vital part of modern warfare, and while artillery is known as the king of the battlefield, the highly trained men who go unseen on the edge of the enemy’s front line, providing accurate information for the big guns, are often unsung heroes. In this month’s Cold War Warrior, I’ll be looking at a somewhat composite impression that incorporates much of the weaponry and equipment seen on artillery forward observation officers (or FOO for short) from the Falklands War era. While this month’s loadout is not a spot-on impression of any one unit, it’s certainly representative of the role of these courageous men. Since the inception of artillery, it has always been necessary to have someone who can actually see the target in order for the guns to provide accurate fire. In the era of blackpowder cannons, this was because the guns produced a thick fog that the gunners could not see through – and in the 20th century, because the guns had ranges so great that it allowed them to be sited well behind cover and far out of sight. Nowadays, satellite imagery, remote drones, laser designating aircraft and a host of other means can provide ‘eyes’ to a gun battery and correct any wayward shot – but back during the Cold War and in the 1980s it was still done the traditional way… by a camouflaged man with nerves of steel sitting close to the enemy, huddled up in a foxhole with a radio and pair of binoculars! During the Falklands War, it was difficult for the British Army to ship the field guns and ammunition the thousands of miles to the battle zone in any sufficient quantity, and so many artillery support missions were
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was essential, as not only did the FOO have to insert into the area alongside the special forces teams via boat or canoe, but they would have to live on their wits, employ excellent fieldcraft, and use their skills to harbour up within spitting distance of the enemy forces. It is not unfair to say that, without the endurance, skill and bravery of these men who provided accurate supporting fire while secreted away within close range of enemy positions, that casualties in the Falklands War could have been much higher on the British side, as an attack without artillery support is a risky thing indeed. Nearly every major engagement of the war involved 148 Battery FOOs and, regrettably, the only civilian casualties of the war occurred when naval gunfire hit three islanders due to a targeting computer error, and a belief that Port Stanley was unoccupied – given the amount of fire missions ordered during the conflict, this sad total might have been much higher had the FOOs not been so skilled. Our FOO in this month’s issue wears typical raiding kit (and could as easily represent an SAS or SBS raider) but I’ve decided to feature this specific role because, in the Cold War battle ‘Operation Cut Throat’ (which we covered in the July issue of Airsoft Action), the ‘airsoft FOOs’ played a vital role in calling down gunnery support on the Soviet forces.
Blistering Full-Auto Fire Our warrior’s weaponry sets him aside from other soldiers of the British Army. Armed
The FOO carries an American M16 because of its light weight
provided by the ships of the fleet, and these required specially trained FOOs who knew how a ship’s guns worked in comparison to a Royal Artillery Battery.
Commando Training One such specialist unit was 148 (Meiktila) Battery of the Royal Artillery. The 148 Battery was formed in WWII, but by the 1970s had been tasked specifically with assisting Royal Marine and SBS units in their amphibious missions – and when war broke out in the south Atlantic in 1982, their hour had come. As the unit was located at the home of the SBS (Special Boat Service) in Poole they were well versed in the ways of Britain’s less well-known special forces unit. More importantly, the men of 148 Battery were commando trained, and so deployed their FOOs as part of SBS patrols across the two islands. Commando training
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Our warrior has attached a custom chest rig for US 5.56 mags
COLD WAR WARRIOR | ROYAL NAVY FORWARD OBSERVER alongside the larger SAS/para variant on SBS and 148 Battery patrols.
Bang For Your Buck
The GS issue bergen
with an American M16, hastily camouflaged with tape, our FOO has chosen this rifle more for its low weight and its ability for blistering full-auto fire to get him out of a tight situation. While the standard British Army L1A1 SLR would provide greater range and stopping power, the FOO’s role, like that of the special forces, who also favoured the M16, is to observe, report and call in devastating fire – not to get into a firefight. However, if spotted and compromised, the high cyclic rate of the M16 would help him ‘bug out’ and make a dash for freedom. With this capability for a high rate of fire in mind, our FOO has equipped himself with a custom chest rig for US 5.56 magazines. These chest rigs proved popular with SF troops and it would not be long before the British Army would copy commercial designs and make its own ‘issue’ version in
DPM camouflage. In addition to the chest rig, our soldier wears an interesting mix of 58-pattern and 44-pattern webbing. Also notable are the ‘drop’ custom pouches to the rear for escape and evasion – kit and ammunition that is also commonly seen on special forces webbing of the time. Webbing loops, rather than ‘D’-hook fasteners, are used to secure the pouches to a roll-pin belt made out of an old cargo strap fastener – and a webbing belt presents a set-up that was much faster to adjust or put on. A custom compass pouch and an easy-to-access 44-pattern water bottle and holder complete this unique webbing set. Lastly, our man stores his binos, maps, radio and spare batteries in his issue GS bergen. While many men used larger, more capacious rucksacks – often from commercial civilian hiking firms, the GS bergen was still a common sight
Protecting the FOO from the bitter cold of the south Atlantic is a windproof smock (the Royal Marine version had a wired hood, although the wire was often removed, making it hard to differentiate from the regular version) and a pair of thick, lined DPM combat trousers over a rollneck ‘Norwegian army shirt’. The ‘norgie’, as it was known, was often actually a commercially made copy of the Norwegian shirt, which was somewhat like a towelling innered sweatshirt, and again became so popular with British soldiers as cold weather kit that it became an issue item in its own right. Protecting the extremities of our FOO are a warm black wool knitted ‘watch cap’, some equally cosy woollen gloves (while the issue ‘Northern Ireland’ glove was popular in Europe, in the cold wet of the Falklands, wool was found to insulate better when wet) and, perhaps somewhat anachronistically, a pair of ‘Boots Combat High’. While the real BCH would not be designed until the aftermath of the Falklands War, when the issue Direct Moulded Sole was found to be sadly lacking, and a serious contributor to cases of trench foot, many soldiers wore ‘private purchase’ boots that were quite similar to the BCH in style and look during the early 80s. Popular alternatives were German or US combat boots as well as civilian hiking footwear and, in dire cases, some men scavenged superior Argentinian boots from captured supplies and prisoners. Many SBS members (and attached patrol members) also wore civilian hiking gaiters to keep the wet off their lower legs, and while original ‘civvy’ examples are hard to find these days, the 1990s issue olive green ones make a good substitute for anyone considering this style of impression. Surprisingly for a ‘special forces’ style impression, this loadout is fun, pretty cheap and quite easy to source the parts, especially the rifle. While British Army 80s impressions are always popular, sourcing an SLR these days can be a nightmare, whereas a plethora of companies make early model M16s. So, if you fancy doing something a little different on the skirmish field or the next Cold War game, why not try ‘Royal Artillery Observer’ and get some more bang for your buck?
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SKIRMISHERS AND SQUADDIES Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey asks whether real world military training has any use in airsoft
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e’ve all been there. It’s a Sunday skirmish and you’re out to have some fun, when there is a cry from up ahead: ‘Follow me! I know how to do this, I’m a cadet sergeant!’ This is usually followed by a lot of bellowed ‘orders’ that are usually ignored by the rest of the side. While no one doubts the professionalism and skill of our armed forces, or the zeal and enthusiasm of the generally responsible girls and boys that make up our air, sea and army cadets, it’s up for debate as to whether a few years of ‘training’ is any substitute for spending as long simply playing airsoft! So here I want to ask, does training for ‘real steel’ give you an edge in-game? Some skills clearly do translate well to the skirmish field. Personal fieldcraft, plus the ability to camouflage yourself well and move quietly and tactically, clearly have their place at a weekend skirmish – as well as on a military
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exercise. But many of the ‘small unit tactics’ taught by HM Forces fall a little flat when converted to the playing field. For example, most airsoft engagements happen between 50 and 100 metres, and while your average airsoft gun will be struggling to hit anything over those ranges, a professional soldier caught under fire at such a close range has probably been ambushed! Real world armies train to spot, engage and manoeuvre around enemy forces at distances up to and above 1,000 metres, perhaps with the exception of Close Quarter Battle (CQB) and Fighting In Built-up Areas (FIBUA) training. This may also be where airsoft ‘shooting skills’ translate to some degree. When you combine CQB skills with the realistic handling of top-end, recoil-capable AEGs and PTWs, you end up with something so comparable and realistic that the armed forces are actually using it themselves!
On woodland sites, however, where a particularly fearsome twig can deflect a ‘round’ and you can take cover behind an old wood pallet, the ‘realism’ factor drops off a little. For my own part, I remember being quite dismayed when I first started playing airsoft at the poor range and accuracy (especially from the rental gun I was using) of AEGs, when I knew from years of training and experience that I could hit a target hundreds of metres away with a real rifle. But once out in the woods, the personal fieldcraft and individual tactical skills of the professional tend to shine through – unless, like me, you’re overly cocky and end up spending most of your first skirmish shot out in the safe zone! Players who have trained for war rarely make themselves obvious targets, tend to choose well-concealed approach routes, move in short bounds, and do so relatively quietly with great situational
DEBATE | REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE PLAYERS’ VIEWS
Teamwork, fieldcraft and tactical skills are essential to both airsoft and military action
MAT KEEN: “There is a lot to be gained from anyone with any kind of fieldcraft experience - not just military, but hunting as well. They have a great understanding of moving quietly and the importance of not being spotted. I do feel that the 22 years army experience is well worth listening to – but there are fundamental differences with airsoft. An airsofter knows if he or she is hit they will be back in the AO within minutes, and therefore can take risks that a soldier would not dream of.” BASHO MATSUO: “Ex-military players have the edge in terms of teamwork, spirit and professional leadership skills, but not in terms of tactics and shooting. Airsoft guns and tactics are particular to airsoft.” BULB DONALDSON: “I’ve come across guys with and without military experience who are equally hopeless, and others who are incredibly switched on when it comes to playing on the airsoft field. Like any game or sport, teamwork is key. Guys who have played together regularly as a team will be at least as effective on the field as some squaddies who have come to a game – if not more so.” ALEX ‘BUDDY’ HOLLY: “The biggest difference comes down to teamwork. Guys with military training understand how to work as a unit, even if they haven’t played together before. Airsofters tend to fight as individuals and will abandon teammates in a heartbeat.” ADAM CHAPMAN: “I’m an air cadet, holding the rank of cadet, so essentially a private. Our fieldcraft and marksmanship lessons do help when it comes to airsoft skirmishes.” BARNES KNO AL: “Airsoft has no basis in the military and vice versa, no matter how many ‘training weapons’ you own or how much MTP you’re wearing. Just enjoy that fact you’re allowed a full auto replica and can point it at people just as daft as you are!”
awareness. But all of these things can be picked up from playing airsoft well and regularly – and by learning from other good players on your local site. While being exinfantry, for example, should mean you’re a great player out in the field, it’s safe to say that we’ve all seen a few ‘super squaddies’ get owned by noob players who just knew the site better than them. That would be me on my first skirmish again! Many players Airsoft Action spoke with did agree that military training certainly gave players an edge with regards to moving as a disciplined team, although this was seen to have potential drawbacks as well, with some ‘veterans’ over-complicating plans of attack. Equally, the very nature of being an effective team player requires the rest of the team to be up to speed with the same skills and knowledge. As a former soldier myself, I know I’ve been guilty of passing on vital info to a player on the same side via hand signals, only to have the very confused recipient answer with little more than a befuddled expression. While airsoft guns may not have the range, accuracy and penetrating effects of their real world counterparts, they do often share layout and ergonomics. A few players believe that the well-trained soldier or cadet can benefit from the fast reloading skills drilled into them, and that this muscle memory translates well to reloading their AEG. Well, as long as they
use the same type of weapon, webbing and magazines they trained on in the forces! Perhaps the most important issue raised in discussion in the Airsoft Action office, though, is that serving and ex-military players tend to be much more cautious in their play, and that ‘civilian’ airsofters take risks that a real soldier wouldn’t dream of. You’ve got to admit that, in the real world, where there are no ‘regens’, you’d probably think twice about storming that strongpoint head-on or just poking your head around a corner to see what’s there. So the jury seems to be out on whether the ‘veteran’ of a thousand Sunday skirmishes is as capable a player as the former Royal Marine Commando – but one thing did seem to be common ground among all of us in the office and most of the readers we asked: while a soldier can skirmish with the best of them, none of us felt that skirmishing equipped us to do their dangerous duties.
HAVE YOUR SAY Got an opinion to share on the real world experience 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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PREPARE FOR BATTLE If you’ve ever been ‘that guy’ left back in the safe zone because you forgot to bring batteries, then Andy Nightingale wants to have a word or two…
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ow many times have you turned up for a good fight at your local skirmish site and found you have left something at home? Perhaps a new piece of kit that you wanted to try out – or maybe something more important, such as your AEG or vest. Often people forget more trivial things like straps off clothing and weapon slings, or they forget to charge their batteries. Maybe they forget batteries altogether. This is down to bad admin. To squaddies, personal admin is one of the most important parts of winning battles and,
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more importantly, staying alive. It’s no big deal if you’re pelted with rounds while engaged in the art of airsoft skirmishing. In most cases, only your pride is hurt. But to a real soldier, personal admin is the number-one way to prepare for the tasks that they will face in the heat of battle. In this article, I want to go over the main points of personal admin carried out in the field before going into battle – also known as battle preparation. Battle preparation enables you, the ground pounder, to ensure that you forget nothing, and
that everything you carry works. As with most things in the British military, battle preparation is remembered by a mnemonic – PAWPERSO. This stands for: Preparation, Ammunition, Weapons, Personal camouflage, Equipment, Radios, Specialist equipment, and Orders. Remembering what each letter in PAWPERSO stands for will help you prepare for battle. It can ensure you avoid forgetting vital kit, and prevent unexpected malfunctions when the heat is on and the plastic starts flying in your direction.
SKILLS ROOM | BATTLE PREPARATION
provide protection while the other half prepares for battle.
Ammunition
Battle preparation should be done in plenty of time for the next fight. Many skirmishers that I have come across return to the safe zone and get a brew on, or just stand around chatting. This often means that players ready for the off are forced to hang around for a minority to get their kit together before the game can begin. Finding out that your battery needs recharging may mean you miss the next game waiting for your power supply to reach 100 per cent. As soon as you have returned to the safe zone, prepare for battle using PAWPERSO and you will be ready for the next game without having to run around at the last minute panicking and wondering if you have got everything.
Protection You may not be in the safe zone or in a harbour area when preparing for battle, so it is important that the section or group is protected at all times with all-round defence. One half of the group should
In the real world, we need to make sure that we have the right ammo calibres and plenty of it. We also need to make sure we have a constant supply when needed. Fortunately, this is not so true about airsoft. We don’t have to worry about different calibres, and we are fortunate enough to be able to carry thousands of rounds at little cost to weight and volume. We do, however, need to make sure that the ammunition is clean, of a good quality, and easily dispensable. One of the biggest problems caused by ammo or BBs is that they rattle on the move. This is a big problem, as the noise can give our positions away. But ammunition does not just include BBs – it includes flash bangs and grenades that we may be carrying. These need to be kept in a safe condition and in a pouch that is easily accessible. It is also a good idea to waterproof any ignition fuses on grenades and flash bangs.
Weapons Weapons should be clean and serviceable at all times. This means testing weapon systems, at home if possible, before going into battle. There have been many times when I have
witnessed AEGs going down in power just at the time when it’s needed most. Make sure that batteries are connected properly to the weapon, spares carried, and optics are properly fitted. Also check that any bolt-on kit is secure. This means your weapon system should be zeroed as well.
Personal Camouflage Personal camouflage is important not just in battle, but also throughout the patrol. Make the most of your surroundings and make sure that you refit any camouflage that falls off – and change it when the terrain changes. Concealment also falls into this category. Make the most of what you have at your disposal, such as shade and darkened areas.
Equipment Equipment consists of your webbing or assault vest and body armour. Make sure you have all the kit you need, including water and food. Your kit should be clean and serviceable, meaning it must be in good shape. Make sure all pouches are secure and nothing rattles when you move around. Also make sure you can access all the important pouches when you need the things needed to win the fight, such as ammo, batteries and other back-up weapon systems. Any repairs should be made as soon as possible, even if this is in the field.
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SKILLS ROOM | BATTLE PREPARATION Radios More and more skirmishers are using radios these days, so it is important that the airsoft skirmisher include radios in his or her battle preparation. You should test all radios that will be used on the patrol. Make sure that you have the correct frequencies and channels before you move off and also any time changes. Radios should be mounted in a secure place on one’s person that affords easy access should you need it, but also in a position that keeps the radio safe from any damage and BB strikes. Spare batteries should be carried at all times and call signs should be noted. Radio checks should also be made before moving out.
Specialist Equipment This may not be relevant to most airsoft skirmishes, but it should be included in the PAWPERSO battle preparation. Any equipment that is not carried as standard kit is classed as specialised kit. Make sure you have the right kit, it is clean and serviceable, and you know how to use it. Also make note of who is carrying it and where in the section or group it is. Such specialist equipment may include ladders, radios, ropes, medical kit, and other tools.
Orders This is one of the most overlooked areas of preparation. You should attend all orders and make sure that you understand them fully. This includes the safety briefing for skirmish sites. Always ask questions if you do not understand what is expected of you. All battles have orders of how the task should be undertaken, so a full understanding of the task at hand is a must for a successful game.
Conclusion PAWPERSO is the easiest way to prepare for battle for the infantry soldier – and it can be used to great success within the airsoft community. It is easy to follow and will enable you to enjoy your day out much more if you are fully prepared. It ensures you have everything you need when you need it – and that equipment works, nothing is left behind, and there are no malfunctions in the field. Don’t be the one left hanging around the safe zone waiting for your battery to charge, or sitting out the next game because your kit has failed and you are making repairs. Keep safe and keep in the game.
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Dragon takes all of that and runs wild, well into downright stupid territory. But on some crazy level, it works. You play as a mark IV cyber commando named Rex Power Colt, who is part-machine, part-soldier. The game is set in a post-Second Vietnam War world, and much of it is nuclear wasteland after the conflicts escalated. The action is set specifically on a small island covered with enemy bases, cyber soldiers, cyber animals and blood dragons. Set in a nuclear winter, the world is permanently dark. Not quite nighttime dark, but the beautiful sunny landscapes of Far Cry 3 are gone. As with all the best old sci-fi movies, neon is ubiquitous. Think Tron the movie – anything that is interactive or even the slightest bit interesting glows bright green, blue, red, purple and any other colours you care to mention. Sure, it’s dark, but you won’t miss that enemy when you can see them glowing from miles away! Back to the story, then. This island houses a mad man who is intent raising an army to attack the world. It turns out this guy is an ex-US colonel named Sloan. He and Rex were in the army together. Not only that, but all of the cyber commandos were programmed with Sloan’s combat skills and abilities. He is using the blood of the blood dragons to create ‘running dead’ (zombies, of course) and to make more super soldiers. Plus, he’s looking to launch bloodladen missiles that will bring the world to its knees! Now, imagine
After getting stuck into Far Cry 3, Alex Wharton checks out the new, sci-fi-themed expansion
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hen I first heard about Blood Dragon, I thought it was an April Fool’s joke. It had certainly been in production for a while, but Ubisoft made the evil choice to release the teaser trailer on April 1. However, it was released a month later as a full, stand-alone expansion to the absolutely superb Far Cry 3, which I
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reviewed back in the February 2013 issue of Airsoft Action. The game is set in a futuristic 2007 and is a satire of 1980s action films. Think The Running Man, Tron, Terminator, RoboCop, Escape From New York – movies full of huge explosions and terrible one liners, just dripping with testosterone. Blood
MEDIA REVIEW | FAR CRY 3: BLOOD DRAGON
“As with all the best old sci-fi movies, neon is ubiquitous”
every obvious twist they could pull from old movies, every cliché – chances are they have crowbarred them into the game. An open mind is necessary to enjoy Blood Dragon. It is truly stupid, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun or enjoyable. I found myself facepalming and tutting with each new line the characters let loose, and each twist of the story. But there is a self-awareness about all this gawkish humour. The game doesn’t pull any punches or apologise for it. Ubisoft knew what they were creating, and in a way it’s a nod and a wink to all of the old movies we grew up with and remember fondly. Even the initial menu makes you feel like you have just loaded up some ancient 16-bit console game. The music matches this feel and all of the tooltips as you load the game are completely unhelpful. The initial tutorial seems to go on forever. It even goes into detail on how, as a new cyber commando, you can purchase an update pack to shorten the tutorial! I don’t think this game is really suitable for anyone who didn’t play Far Cry 3 . I started the game on easy and found some parts pretty
difficult. Even with the tutorial, it throws you in the deep end. You need that knowledge of how the game works from Far Cry 3 to cope in Blood Dragon . The way the game is set up makes you feel like a walking tank, something I’m dubbing the ‘Halo’ effect after that series of games and playing as Master Chief. However, you really aren’t. Far Cry 3 makes you feel very vulnerable and weak at the beginning, causing you to stick to shadows and play the stealthy game. Really you should play Blood Dragon the same way. However, I found myself just charging in everywhere. I’ve got laser guns and there is rock music playing, surely the enemies are no danger to me? The game gets it’s name from the gigantic lizards that populate the island. They are pretty much dinosaurs. They are also covered in neon lines that change colour depending on their mood. If you are a way off and they aren’t doing anything, they’re usually green. Get them angry and they go all red. Then they start shooting lasers from their eyes. They also just love snacking on cyber-hearts, which leads you to ‘loot’ the hearts of all of the enemies you kill, just to use as lures
for the blood dragons. These guys are also massively tough. I aggro’d one early on in the game, hitting it with C400 (super C4 of course) grenade after grenade, hundreds of rounds of ammo, and anything else I could find. It eventually went down but I’d hate to have made two of them angry at the same time. The game does have some flaws, however. It can be a little glitchy in places and the AI made some strange decisions. Also, while the story is the absolute polar opposite of the original game, the core principle is still ‘take base, control area, move on’. These issues aside, the game is downright silly - but that just makes it better. I look back on all of the old 1980s movies with huge fondness. It was an age of totally over-the-top craziness and that’s why we love them. Blood Dragon gives them a nod and a wink, then blows it out the water. It’s a stupid game, but I love it.
INFORMATION Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon PUBLISHER/DEVELOPER: Ubisoft PLATFORMS: Windows, PS3, Xbox 360
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KIT BAG | SNIPER’S GEAR
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SITE DIRECTORY Find somewhere to be this weekend… SYMBOL KEY
Is it woodland or urban? Check the key! UKARA
UKARA MEMBER UKASGB MEMBER WOODLAND
£
SHOP ONSITE BATTERY CHARGING URBAN PYROS ALLOWED REPAIR SERVICE DESERT
ATROOP AIRSOFT
Clocaenog Forest, LL16 4SP 07967 394976 www.atroop.co.uk
AIRSOFT COMMANDOS Sutton, near Ferrybridge 07723 061386 andyace@ntlworld.com
ABSOLUTE AIRSOFT
Maidenhead, SL6 3SS 07871 314951 www.absolute-airsoft.co.uk
ACE AIRSOFT WAR GAMES
Holbrook Coppice, Buidwas Bank (A4169), Buildwas, Telford, Shropshire, TF8 07786 192832 www.aceairsoft.co.uk
ACE COMBAT
Kent, TN12 7DG 01303 814803 www.acecombat.co.uk
AIRBORNE 101 AIRSOFT CLUB Downpatrick, Co. Down, BT30 07718 032541 robinsonm24@btinternet.com
AIRSOFT ASYLUM
North Lanarksire, ML7 5 www.airsoftasylum.webs.com ayrsoft@gmail.com
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AIRSOFT KGB
Porkellis Moor near Helston, Cornwall, TR13 0 Chef1322@hotmail.com www.kgbairsoft.com
AIRSOFT SKIRMISH
Stoulton, WR7 4QW 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk
AIRSOFT SKIRMISH CQB
Studley, B80 7LY 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk
ALL ARMS AIRSOFT
Near Trawden, BB8 8SN 07909 683464 www.allarmsairsoft.co.uk
ALPHA ELITE GAMING
ARENA AIRSOFT
AMAZON EVENTS
AWA HERTS
AMBUSH ADVENTURES – CHOBHAM
BARNSLEY AIRSOFT
Le Mont de Rozel, Jersey, JE3 5 01534 733697 www.aegairsoft.je
Hellingly, East Sussex, BN27 4HL 0844 2570433 www.amazonoutdoorevents.co.uk
Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8SL 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk
AMBUSH ADVENTURES – SOUTHAMPTON
New Forest National Park, SP5 2DW 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk
APOCALYPSE AIRSOFT
Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7QP 07872 348 576 www.apocalypseairsoft.com
Grimsby, DN31 3JD 07752 404060 www.arenaairsoft.com
Sawbridgeworth, Herts, CM23 4BJ 07732 184957 www.awaherts.com
Shafton, Barnsley, S72 8RE 07779 236166 www.barnsleypaintball.co.uk
BATTLETEC AIRSOFT
La Couture, Guernsey, GY1 2 07781 104068 www.battletec.co.uk
BETTER BATTLES
Ravenshead, Notts, NG15 9DH 07967 940043 www.better-battles.com
BLUESTREAK AIRSOFT
Westcott Venture Park, Westcott, Aylesbury, HP18 0XB 01926 658600 www.bluestreak-airsoft.co.uk
AIRSOFT SITES | DIRECTORY Huge thanks to our friends at Airbana (www.airsoftmap.net) for supplying data! BRAVO 2-2 AIRSOFT
Leisure Lakes, Mere Brow, Southport. PR46JX 07790 715059 www.bravo22airsoft.com
BRISTOL AIRSOFT
Bristol, BS1 2HQ 07776 288826 www.bristolairsoft.com
BRIT-TAC AIRSOFT
Sheffield, S2 5TR 07795 631331 www.brittacairsoft.com
BUNKER 51
Charlton, SE7 8NJ 0870 7549653 www.wolfarmouries.co.uk
C3 TACTICAL
Longhope, Gloucestershire, GL17 0PH 07597 938011 www.c3tactical.co.uk
CLOSE ACTION AIRSOFT Corby, NN17 3BB 07740 165787 www.close-action.co.uk
COMBAT ACTION GAMES
Maryland, Norfolk, NR10 4 01328 711867 www.combatactiongames.co.uk
Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4RP 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE SANDPIT
Bradford, BD2 1BQ 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
CERBERUS AIRSOFT - RIVOCK EDGE
Keighley, BD20 0LS 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
CERBERUS AIRSOFT SHEFFIELD WOODLAND
Sheffield, S6 6JE 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
CHESTERFIELD IMPERIAL AIRSOFT Brimington Chesterfield S43 1DQ www.cia-airsoft.co.uk
Caerwent Training Area, South Wales, NP26 5XL 07921 336360 www.dragonvalley.co.uk
ELITE ACTION GAMES – DORKING
Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5AB 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com
COMBAT SOUTH URBAN Portsmouth, PO6 3LS 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk
COMBAT SOUTH WOODLAND Fareham, PO17 5ND 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk
CONTACT! FIGHT SCHOOL
Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, CM14 5 01438 368177 www.thefightschool.demon.co.uk
COOL UNDER FIRE CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE COMPLEX
DRAGON VALLEY AIRSOFT
Doddington, Kent, ME9 0JS 07960 532613 www.coolunderfire.co.uk
CORNWALL AIRSOFT ASSAULT
Truro, Cornwall, TR2 07837 475012 www.cornwallairsoftassault.co.uk
CUMBRIA AIRSOFT
Dumfries, DG12 cumbria.airsoft@virgin.net www.cumbria-airsoft.com
DELTA TEAM 3
Skelmersdale, Lancs WN8 8UT 07986 053076 www.deltateam3.co.uk
ELITE ACTION GAMES – EPSOM
Epsom, Surrey, KT18 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com
ELITE ACTION GAMES – WORTHING
Worthing, BN13 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com
ELITE BATTLEZONE
Bexley, Greater London, DA5 1NX 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk
FINMERE AIRSOFT
Buckingham, MK18 4JT 07976 184897 www.finmereairsoft.com
FIREBALL SQUADRON
Sutton Coldfield, B75 5SA 07582 684533 www.fireballsquadron.com
FIRST AND ONLY – ANZIO CAMP
Leek, ST13 8 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
FIRST AND ONLY – BATTLE LAKES
Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9AP 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
FIRST AND ONLY – BUNKER WOOD
Kidderminster, Worcs, DY11 5SA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
EXPERIENCE AIRSOFT
FIRST AND ONLY – KHE SANH WOODS
FIREFIGHT COMBAT SIMULATIONS
FIRST AND ONLY – MANCHESTER WOODLAND
FIFE WARGAMES
FIRST AND ONLY – ASYLUM
Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 0AN 01380 728982 www.experienceairsoft.co.uk
Lewisham, SE13 5SU 07973 240177 www.firefight.co.uk
St Andrews, KY10 3XL info@fifewargames.co.uk www.fifewargames.com
Otley, West Yorkshire LS21 2NA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
Bolton, BL7 9TS 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
Kidderminster, DY10 3PT 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
DOGS OF WAR
Houston, Renfrewshire, PA6 7BP 07853 195290 www.dow-airsoft.co.uk
DRAGON’S LAIR
Brentwood, Essex, CM15 0LA 07703 530189 www.dragonslairairsoft.co.uk
www.airsoftactionmagazine.com
087
SITE DIRECTORY Find somewhere to be this weekend… LAND WARRIOR AIRSOFT
Gorebridge, Midlothian, EH23 4LG 0131 654 2452 www.airsoftedinburgh.co.uk
LAC SITE 1
FIRST AND ONLY – THE EMBASSY
Leicester, LE2 6EA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
FIRST AND ONLY – THE MALL Reading, RG1 1NR 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
GROUND ZERO WOODLAND
Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 2DF www.groundzerowoodland.com
FREE FIRE ZONE
Farcet, Peterborough, PE7 3DH 01733 247171 www.freefirezone.co.uk
FRV AIRSOFT
GUN HO AIRSOFT
Guisborough, TS7 0PG 07525 435696 www.gunhoairsoft.co.uk
GUNMAN AIRSOFT – CAMBRIDGE
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk
GUNMAN AIRSOFT – NORWICH Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk
HIGHLAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT IV25 3PY 07702 846090 www.highlandtacticalairsoft.co.uk
Annacloy, Downpatrick, BT30 8JJ 07730 586926 www.frvairsoft.com
HILTON PARK AIRSOFT
GASS AIRSOFT – PENN
HOMELAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT
Wolverhampton, WV10 7HU 08000 354490 www.paintballuk.com
Penn Bottom, Bucks, HP10 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk
Spanby, Lincs, NG34 0AT 07971 560249 facebook.com/HomelandTacticalAirsoft
GASS AIRSOFT – PIDDINGTON
INVICTA AIRSOFT – RAINDEN WOODS
Piddington, Oxfordshire, OX25 1 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk
GRANGE FARM AIRSOFT
Leicester, LE9 9FP www.gingerliberationfront.com
GREENZONE COMBAT
Co. Armagh, BT60 1NE 07772 919974 www.greenzonecombat.com
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August 2013
Folkestone, Kent, CT18 7AY 01227 763335 www.invictaairsoft.co.uz
ISLAND RECON AIRSOFT COMBAT
Near Shorwell, Isle of Wight, PO30 07964 751047 www.islandrecon.co.uk
MILSIM UK
Checkley, Staffordshire, ST10 4NS 07523 916607 www.milsimuk.co.uk
Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
NCIS AIRSOFT
LAC SITE 2
NOMAD AIRSOFT
LAC SITE 3
NORTHERN ALLIANCE AIRSOFT
Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
Saxillby, LN1 2JW 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
LAC SITE 5
Kirton Rd, North Lincs, DN16 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
Edinburgh, EH14 4 nick@ncis-airsoft.co.uk www.ncis-airsoft.co.uk
Fenwick, Ayrshire, KA3 6AY 07904 998250 www.nomadairsoft.com
Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3LQ 01845 565465 www.northernallianceairsoft. co.uk
NORTHFLEET CQB
Northfleet, Kent, DA11 9AA 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk
LINDSEY AIRSOFT
Manby, Lincolnshire, LN11 8HE 07955 487983 www.lindsey-airsoft.co.uk
NSC AIRSOFT
Hetton, Sunderland, DH5 0 07983 333521 www.nscairsoft.co.uk
MATLOCK COMBAT GAMES
Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5FW 07974 507166 www.matlockcombatgames.com
NTAC
Durham, DL4 2ER 01642 281220 www.ntac.co.uk
MAW
Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 07562 479966 maw.airsoft@hotmail.com
MIA
Cornwall, EX23 9JL 01288 331748 www.airsoftsouthwest.co.uk
MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Wrightington, WN6 9PL 01942 514724 www.militaryoutdooradventure. co.uk
OBAN AIRSOFT – HILL ARGYLL Argyll and Bute, PA37 1 07967 710185 www.argyllsurplus.com
OP-TACTICAL UK – TEAN-OPS Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4JT 07964 990831 www.op-tac.co.uk
PATHFINDER GROUP AIRSOFT MILITARY SIMULATION Former RAF Camp Sopley/ Merryfield Park, Hants, BH23 02380 899369
PHOENIX AIRSOFT
Budby, Notts, NG22 9FG 01623 812483 www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk
AIRSOFT SITES | DIRECTORY Huge thanks to our friends at Airbana (www.airsoftmap.net) for supplying data! PLATOON 1HQ
Rochester, Kent, ME1 1 HQ 01634 829063 www.ptt-1hq.co.uk
PLAYERS OF WAR
High Bonnybridge, FK1 3AD 07767 203979 www.playersofwar.co.uk
PREDATOR COMBAT GAMES Ballynahinch, BT24 8NF 028 4377 0566 www.predatorcombat.com
RAVEN’S NEST
Suffolk, IP8 4 01473 831563 www.ravensairsoft.co.uk
SG1 COMBAT GAMES
Co. Londonderry, BT45 8NA 07713 273102 www.sg1combatgames.co.uk
SKIRMISH AIRSOFT BILLERICAY
Billericay, Essex, CM11 2TX 01277 657777 www.airsoft-billericay.co.uk
SKIRMISH EXETER
Exeter, Devon, EX4 5 01548 580025 www.airsoftexeter.co.uk
SOUTHDOWN AIRSOFT
Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0LR 07766 770830 www.southdownairsoft.com
SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – BLOXWORTH Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7EU 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk
RIFT AIRSOFT COM’S SITE 3 Chipping Warden, OX17 1LZ 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com
SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – THE ROCK Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EG 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk
RIFT AIRSOFT (COTTENHAM) Cambridge, CB24 8RL 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com
STIRLING AIRSOFT
Coventry, CV3 6NX 07831 429407 www.stirlingairsoft.com
SECTION 8 AIRSOFT
Shotts, N Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com
SECTION 8 AIRSOFT
Shotts, North Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com
UCAP AIRSOFT
SW WAR GAMES – TREGANTLE FORT
UCAP GREEN OPS
Antony, Cornwall, PL11 3AB www.swwargames.co.uk
Antony, Cornwall, PL11 3AZ 08456 345011 www.swwargames.co.uk
Portsmouth, Hants, PO17 6AR 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk
Linch, West Sussex, GU30 7 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk
UCAP SANDPIT
RAW WAR AIRSOFT CUMBRIA Wigton, Cumbria CA7 3SZ 01900 85645 www.airsoftcumbria.co.uk
SW WAR GAMES – SCRAESDON FORT
STORMFORCE AIRSOFT
Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 4LD 07515 937633 www.stormforcepaintball.co.uk
TA EVENTS
Hemel Hemstead, Herts, HP2 7QB 07894 059794 www.ta-events.co.uk
TACTICAL WALES AIRSOFT
Reynoldston, Swansea SA3 1AS 01792 473336 www.tacticalwales.co.uk
TACTICAL WARFARE AIRSOFT Warlingham, Surrey, CR6 9PL 020 8665 1299 www.tacticalwarfare.co.uk
Slinfold, RH12 020 8150 9284 www.sussexairsoft.co.uk
ULTIMATE WARGAMES – FAWKHAM
Fawkham, Kent, DA3 8NY 01268 796130 www.ultimatewargames.co.uk
ULTIMATE WARGAMES – LIMPSFIELD
Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0RH www.ultimatewargames.co.uk
URBAN6AIRSOFT – ZONE 13 TASK FORCE SKIRMISH
Cowbridge, S Glamorgan, CF71 02920 593900 www.taskforcepaintball.co.uk
Stone, Staffordshire ST15 0QN 07432 291729 www.urban6airsoft.com
URBAN6AIRSOFT – THE BLOCK THE DESERTERS AIRSOFT Redford, DD11 07751 878175 www.thedeserters.co.uk
Wood Street, Butron-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 £AB www.urban6airsoft.com
URBAN ASSAULT THE EX SITE
Mold, CH7 4 07840 001975 www.theexsitewales.co.uk
Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, PE26 1 01733 247171 www.urbanassault.org.uk
VIKING AIRSOFT THE WARGAMES CENTRE
SUSSEX AIRSOFT
Bean, Kent, DA2 8 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk
Stevenston, Ayrshire, KA20 3LN 08456 434326 www.scottishadventurecentre. co.uk
Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0UN www.vikingairsoft.co.uk
WARMINSTER AIRSOFT
Warminster, BA12 7RZ www.warminsterairsoft.co.uk
TROJAN AIRSOFT
Macclesfield, SK10 4SZ 07921 837658 www.trojan-airsoft.com
XSITE AIRSOFT OUTPOST Dunstable, LU6 2EE 01494 881430 www.xsiteairsoft.co.uk
XSITE AIRSOFT – LANE END Email michaelh@ blazepublishing.co.uk to add or change a site listing
High Wycombe, HP14 3NP 01494 881430
www.airsoftactionmagazine.com
089
DEALER LISTINGS
ADVERTISERS INDEX Land Warrior Airsoft ....................................................................................... 2 Airsoft World................................................................................................... 3 Just BB Gun’s .................................................................................................. 6 Redwolf ........................................................................................................... 9 Pro Airsoft ..................................................................................................... 13 Edgar Brothers PTS ...................................................................................... 17 JD Airsoft ...................................................................................................... 26 Airsoft Zone................................................................................................... 35 ActionSportsGames........................................................................................ 41 JD Airsoft ...................................................................................................... 47 Goliath Footwear ............................................................................................ 48 Military 1st.................................................................................................... 48 Soldier of Fortune .......................................................................................... 53 Patrol Base .................................................................................................... 53 Gunman Airsoft ............................................................................................ 56 Surplus Stores ............................................................................................... 56 EtonGuns ....................................................................................................... 56 No VAT ......................................................................................................... 56 Wolf Armouries ............................................................................................. 62 Epic Militaria ................................................................................................. 70 Badger Tac .................................................................................................... 70 Exertus Global .............................................................................................. 79 Flecktarn ....................................................................................................... 82 Edgar Brothers TLSFx ................................................................................... 91 Pro Airsoft ..................................................................................................... 92
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