THE Airsoft Magazine
AIRSOFT ACTION
WIN
GUNMAN: THE LONG WALK
A G&G G98 WORT 0 H
£360
THE FILMSIM WEEKENDER REVIEWED
ON TEST:
G&P RAPID FIRE AND DYTAC URX III
SNIPER SPECIAL
including F&O’s The Hive
EYE PRO ADVICE ❱ ‘NAM ERA US LOADOUT ❱ GUN SAFETY SKILLS ❱ THE LAST OF US
SEPTEMBER 2013 - £4.35
Part two of our behind-thescenes trip to Denmark
UK AIRSOFT SITE ROUND-UP Three sites reviewed,
9 772047 348025
SEPTEMBER 2013
We report from Stirling Airsoft’s Spanish epic
INSIDE AIRSOFT: ACTIONSPORTGAMES
09
OPERATION CROSSBOW
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BEGINNER’S ADVICE READER DEBATE WWII HISTORY
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CONTENTS
AIRSOFT ACTION – SEPTEMBER 2013
6 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 Blaze Publishing, Lawrence House, Morrell Street Leamington Spa,Warwickshire, CV32 5SZ
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Tel: 01926 339808 Fax: 01926 470400 E: info@blazepublishing.co.uk W: www.blazepublishing.co.uk © Blaze Publishing Limited, 2013 Distribution: Distributed to the newstrade by Comag Magazine Marketing, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE T: 01895 433 800 Copyright © Blaze Publishing Limited 2013. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the publishers in writing. The opinions of the writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions prior to print.
Find us on…
Letter, idea or question? Got something to say? A question for our experts? An article, or article idea? Drop us a line and let us know. Either email the assistant editor (michaelh@blazepublishing.co.uk), send us a letter at the Blaze Publishing address above – or talk to us on Twitter or Facebook.
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AIRSOFT NEWS All the latest headlines from the airsoft scene
READERS WRITE Our pick of your letters and comments this month
RIFLE: G&P RAPID FIRE Scott Allan tests out this short-barrelled M4
RIFLE: DYTAC URX III The long-awaited replica of the rifle used by Chris Costa
SITE: THE HIVE Find out about First & Only’s new Manchester site
DEBATE: SNIPING We round-up the pros and cons of airsoft sniping, with some input from readers
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EVENT: THE LONG WALK The latest event in Gunman’s FilmSim series sends players back to ‘Nam
SITE: THE BUNKER A review of UCZ’s Bunker site down in Exeter
SITE: OTT ADVENTURES Iggy Roberts heads to OTT Adventures in north Wales
WORKSHOP: BATTERIES A look at the various kinds of batteries used in AEGS
INSIDE AIRSOFT: ASG, PART 2 The second part of our behind-the-scenes trip to Denmark’s finest
EVENT: OPERATION CROSSBOW Scott Allan heads to a real-life Spanish military compound for Stirling Airsoft’s latest epic
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KIT BAG: EYE WEAR A round-up of top eye pro
FEATURE: LIFE AFTER DEMOB Dan Mills on post-Army life
BOOK SHOP Reader offers on cool books
SUBSCRIBE Get Airsoft Action delivered to your door every four weeks
FEATURE: WWII HISTORY One of WWII’s unsung heroes
KIT BAG: YDS BOOTS Military footwear on test
FEATURE: INTRO TO SNIPING Airsoft sniping for beginners
FEATURE: EYE SAFETY An opthalmic optician explains the necessity for eye protection on the skirmish field
COLD WAR WARRIOR Featuring a Vietnam War-era US advisor’s load-out
SKILLS ROOM: BILLY BASICS Billy asks how you can use the senses to improve your game
SKILLS ROOM: GUN SAFETY Expert advice on handling a firearm or replica
COMPETITION Win a G&G G980 worth £360
MEDIA REVIEW: THE LAST OF US The PS3 title taking the gaming world by storm
READERS’ GALLERY Your snaps from the field
SITE DIRECTORY Our UK site listings
September 2013
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MICHAEL JONES
Michael has been playing airsoft for seven years now. He’s not afraid to lead the charge, but you’ll usually find him standing around with his arms in the air
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
IOAN ‘IGGY’ ROBERTS
Iggy spent eight years in the Royal Navy as a photographer, and still travels to various front lines. He’s been an airsofter for 15 years and loves the sport
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
OSCAR PLUMMER
Oscar believes three things about airsoft: drinking tea makes you win; ‘Tally ho!’ is the best battle cry; and RIS should be banned
GARETH ‘GADGE’ HARVEY
Gadge is our resident history buff and FilmSim fanatic. He has a passion for WWII, Nam-soft and Cold War gaming – but still finds time to fit in an open-day skirmish
KRIS ROBERTS
Formerly a member of the TA, Kris has over a decade’s worth of experience playing airsoft. Not one to be swayed by Gucci kit, his philosophy is ‘keep it simple, safe and fun’
SCOTT ALLAN
Scott has worked in airsoft retail for many years – and played airsoft long before that. He likes big, heavy guns, loud explosions and MilSim games in particular
DAN MILLS
A former army warrant officer, Dan served in the forces for 24 years, seeing service on operations in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq
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t’s hot. Damn hot! Real hot! Hottest things is my shorts. I could cook things in it. A little crotch pot cooking.” So said a certain Mr. Adrian Cronauer (aka Robin Williams) in one of my favourite films, Good morning, Vietnam. It also serves to aptly describe the current weather conditions here in the UK – and that could affect each and every airsoft player out there. Let me give you one tip – hydration! In these conditions that nine-letter word should be uppermost in your mind, as it could (quite literally) save your life. Heat exhaustion can develop very rapidly and, as one of the symptoms is mental confusion, sufferers often don’t realise they have it until it’s too late and it becomes the far more serious heatstroke. So please, while you are out there make sure you put in plenty of fluids – not of the sweet, sticky, fizzy variety – good old H2O is best, and watch out for your mates. If they feel or are being sick, look very flushed, are sweating profusely, feel dizzy or extremely tired and don’t seem their ‘normal’ self, they could be suffering from heat exhaustion. If so, get them out of the sun to somewhere cooler and give them plenty of water to drink – but not in great big gulps. Little and very often is the way to go. They should start to feel better within half an hour but, if they don’t, or if they have existing kidney, heart or circulation problems, or if they are an insulin-dependent diabetic, they should be taken to hospital. If they have been sweating profusely and it suddenly stops, or they start suffering muscle cramps, a rapid heartbeat or hyperventilation (rapid breathing), don’t muck about, dial 999, move them out of the sun, give them water and wait for the ambulance. If you want to run a quick check on yourself, when you have a pee take a look and if it’s any darker than the colour of champagne, you should be taking in more water. In most aspects of the military, when working as a unit, the ‘buddy system’ has saved many a life and can also be applied to civvy life. So keep an eye out for your buddies and enjoy this awesome weather in safety – but don’t forget that word… ‘hydration!’ Stay safe and I’ll see you out there… Nige
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AIRSOFT NEWS JUST BBS OPENS NEW SITE Well-known London retailer Just BBs has announced that it is opening a new site, Airsoft 101, situated in Hounslow, in October 2013. At just under 10,000sq/ft, and set over multiple levels, this CQB site will be running games all through the week, such as last-man standing, Friday night zombies, and
NEW COMBAT SHIRT Hyde Defition has unveiled the new UF Pro Striker combat shirt in PenCott GreenZone camouflage. The shirt is a hybrid design, featuring a wicking, polyester torso section in coyote brown, and nylon-cotton sleeves, shoulder, and collar in the acclaimed GreenZone pattern. The shirt also features a large upper arm pocket, cuff adjusters, and elbow protectors, sold separately. For more information, visit www.hydedefinition.com
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SWAT competitions. The site will also be running a Thursday night five-man-team league, stretching over 6 months, with trophies and prizes to be won. Visit www.airsoft101.co.uk and www.justbbguns.co.uk for more updates in the coming months.
WE HAVE A WINNER Congratulations to Andy Stevenson of Hull, winner of our July competition – a Celcius M4 DTW worth £380. We’ve invited Andy down to Airsoft Action HQ to collect his rifle – and if you fancy having a go at winning free, awesome kit, turn to page 78, where you’ll find details on how you can win this month’s competition prize, a G&G G980 worth £360. Other winners of recent competitions include Tyler Purnell and Charlie Davenport, who picked up free tickets to the Badlands weekender run by Spec Ops Airsoft, and Mark Tolley and Frank Walker, who won free tickets to Operation Blue Shrew, Fireball Squadron’s 15th birthday game.
AIRSOFT | NEWS
S-T-T-S JOINS FORCES WITH G&D Specialist Tactical Training Solutions (S-T-T-S) has been appointed as the official UK and European importer and distributor of the G&D DTW training weapon platform. In the past few years, S-T-T-S has successfully distributed the Celcius MX Series, and more recently the Celcius DTW – and now the manufacturer of the standard G&D DTW training weapon platform has invited the UK company to combine forces with them. As well as distributing G&D’s introductory training weapon, S-T-T-S will offer its acclaimed after-sales service and support. S-T-T-S has taken its initial delivery, with the following models available from any of its appointed stockists: DTW M4 CQB, DTW M4A1, DTW M16, and DTW SR-16. All of these come with a comprehensive three-month warranty, and are fitted with UK and European site-legal M100 black cylinders as standard, offering approximately 330-350fps. However, S-T-T-S also has spare upgrade springs available (M110, M130 and M150) along with spare cylinders so you can alter your fps to suit your combat mission within seconds. The distributor has also taken stock of over 1,000 spare DTW magazines priced at £19.99. As an introductory special offer, S-T-T-S is offering customers the chance to add an MDD Hop Unit version 2 and a custom Hyperion Barrel for just £99.95 to any DTW purchased. These upgrades will allow you to accurately engage targets up to over 200 feet, and represent a 14 per cent saving on the RRP. The offer runs till the end of August 2013. For more details, visit www.s-t-t-s.com
NEWS Following on from last month’s column, UKAPU now has a link on Airsoft TV’s website. In today’s electronic world there is a wealth of online news and video channels to watch – but these guys are good and well worth checking out if you haven’t already, with a mix of player interviews, retailer reviews and behind the scene insights into some well known distributors. Look them up at www.airsofttv.net. Over the coming months, we’re hoping to have more content on there too, so stay tuned for commentary from UKAPU on various topics relating to airsoft. We’ve had a good month with new members joining steadily, as I hope word about UKAPU and what we stand for spreads. While there will always be naysayers, we are all airsofters first and foremost, and we run this association out of a love for the hobby and a desire to see it flourish. We gain no financial benefit from it and nor would we want to – but what we do want is to be an inclusive and representative association. If you would like to join or get more involved in UKAPU then please check out our website www.ukapu.org.uk for more information. The more members we have the more effective we can be. Phil Bucknall UKAPU Chairman
NEW ACCESSORIES UK distributor Viking Arms has begun stocking the Streamlight Sidewinder LED Flashlight (£75), which is standard issue for US Marines. The flashlight is designed for hands-free use, and features a belt clip and optional head mount. Compact and lightweight, the device produces powerful white light courtesy of C4 LED technology, which has a variable colour output and levels of brightness. The 185-degree tilting head allows the beam to be aimed in any direction – and the flashlight is designed with extreme durability, making it a great contender to take with you on airsoft games of all varieties. We’ve also received news that G&G has released another scope onto the airsoft market. Available in both black and green, this 4x magnification optic is ideal for mounting to your rifle and assisting your long-range accuracy potential. Visit your nearest G&G stockist for more.
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AIRSOFT | NEWS
NEW EU LAWS SET TO AFFECT AEGS On 2 January 2013, the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012 (also known as RoHS2) came into force throughout Europe and was transposed into UK law. So what has that to do with airsoft? Well, quite a bit as it happens. AEGs are covered by the legislation under the heading of ‘Toys, Leisure and Sports Equipment’ and, as such, are required to meet the standards laid down. Essentially, it’s all about environmental protection and not allowing certain substances (that can be found in substandard components and manufacture) onto the market in the EU – substances such as lead (which can be found in solder) and hexavalent chromium, also known as CR6, which is carcinogenic. Other prohibited substances include cadmium, mercury, polybrominated biphenyl and polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants. What this means is that, as of 2 January this year, every single AEG entering Europe should have been branded with the ‘CE’ mark, identifying it as having been tested and approved for sale in the EU. See the image above right for an example of what a correctly-branded AEG should look like. Working in partnership with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the National Measurement Office (NMO) is the UK market surveillance authority responsible for enforcing the RoHS2 regulations within the UK. Manufacturers, authorised representatives, importers and distributors need to understand the requirements of the RoHS2 directive to ensure that they comply. More information can be found on the enforcement website, at www.bis.gov. uk/nmo/enforcement/rohs-home, where their responsibilities can be found. At the time of going to press, Airsoft Action understands that the NMO and enforcement officers will be in contact with the industry in order to assess compliance. It is important to note that the RoHS2 directive has been updated since its inception in 2006 and places a greater responsibility on all individual areas of the supply chain. As we understand it, with regards to CE marking, manufacturer’s products
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must be marked with the following: the CE mark; a type, batch or serial number to help identify the product in the production process; the manufacturer’s name, registered trade name or registered trade mark; and the manufacturer’s contactable address. It is the importer’s responsibility to ensure that the manufacturer has performed the above – and also that the product is marked with the importer’s name, registered trade name or registered trademark. The product must also be marked with an importer’s address at which they can be contacted. Distributors have a responsibility to ensure that the manufacturer and importer has performed the above. Where it is not possible to mark this information on the product, the information may instead be marked on the packaging of the product or in a document accompanying it – but if it is possible, then it must be on the product. Airsoft Action and a representative of the
To stay onside of the law, all AEGS must now be CE-marked
European Airsoft Association have arranged to meet with the NMO, to seek a greater understanding of the potential impact of the legislation and a clearer definition of all that is required. Airsoft Action will keep you posted on any further developments.
Gaz from RedWolf Airsoft with the RoHS2-compliant, CE-branded WE G36
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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
LOST AND FOUND
WOMEN IN AIRSOFT
After finding an MP7 mag at the weekend I began wondering about how much kit people lose at weekends. In the past I’ve found a G36 selector lever, a G36 mag, a pair of goggles, arm bands, a 1910 mag and two paintball rigs. Luckily most found their way back to their owners. I even knew one guy who lost his car keys! I wonder what other readers have lost and found. Andrew Lane, via Facebook
Regarding Rachel Forsyth’s article on women in airsoft (Girls With Guns, August issue), it is good to see a short article on one new member to the airsoft community who happens to be a woman. However, as a woman who has been involved in airsoft since 2006, unfortunately the hobby is a long way off being female-friendly. Some sites are concerned with having female players, in case they upset resident male players. Women often have to meet stereotypical expectations of resident players. In airsoft it tends to be ‘bum out, tits out’ much of the time. We’ve seen this over and over again – and it’s part of the fabric of the hobby. To the credit of women involved in airsoft, there are quite a few unsung heroes out there, who have done all they can do to encourage other women into the hobby and help it. Over seven years I have seen this influence turn the hobby from a very small, male-oriented hobby into what is becoming a sport, with young and female players. It is important to note that it is not just women who have done this, but many people involved in the industry, and players in general. That being said, it is a sad fact that the hobby needs to be more female friendly. Maree Davidson, via email
I lost my sense of direction once but the most important thing not to lose is your sense of humour! – Nige
WALTING WOES While scouring some of the forums recently I chanced across something that made me quite emotive – the issue of ‘Walting.’ For readers who are unaware, Walter Mitty was a fictional character that had fantastical daydreams. One week he was an astronaut, the next a gladiator, the next a soldier. The term Walt was coined for those pretending to have some military connection they do not. I have been playing airsoft since 1994 and joined the Army in ’97. Both as a serving soldier and an avid airsofter I have no problem with guys and girls dressing up for the part. What I do find distasteful and disrespectful is players claiming they have served or are serving and then having the sheer audacity to offer advice to other players based on their ‘military’ achievements. I can put up with tall tales of ranges achieved, grouping sizes at 500m and how you took out the whole team armed only with a Mars bar and a springer pistol, but Walting really irritates. So please, Walters, stop claiming service you have not done! You will not do yourself any favours, especially when caught out. Billy G, address supplied
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MILSIM HELP After being a member of an amazing airsoft team in Scotland I have moved down south to England and I am keen to start up a MilSim group in my region, but I’m not sure where to start. Should I advertise locally? Or set up a group on Facebook? It might look a bit weak if I start something with no members and I’m a bit worried about approaching sites to let a group of us go on there every couple of weeks. What advice would you give to an airsofter in my situation? Via email
Hi Maree, thanks for your email. As editor of this magazine, I have heard both sides of the ‘women in airsoft’ argument on a number of occasions and so far as I am concerned, there is absolutely no reason why anyone, from any section of our society should not enjoy what we enjoy. Airsoft is militarily-based and there is no barrier to women joining the military, so why should there be one to them playing a game of airsoft? What is interesting to note, though, is that I don’t hear the same negative comments from the less military-esque game players, such as those who enjoy hunting zombies. To me, an airsoft player is an airsoft player, no matter what is underneath their camo/black kit/zombie mask and can shoot you just as easily as the next man, or woman! – Nige
MilSim is certainly growing very quickly in the UK and you are probably not alone in looking to get something going for yourself. I would suggest you start by doing a lot of research, maybe get out to your local sites and see if you can meet like-minded players. Talk to the site owners and ask them about the potential of renting their site, or maybe if they would be interested in helping to run your game. If they feel that you are taking business from them, I don’t suppose they would be too happy but if they can see you want to work with them, then they are more likely to assist. Good luck! – Nige
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Rapid fire is a technique often used in airsoft – sometimes too often – and now there is a rifle so-named. Scott Allan investigates
G&P RAPID FIRE G
&P is a Hong Kong-based manufacturer, and while its background is firmly set in the M4 replica market, it does make some outrageously lovely M249s and MK23 Stoner rifles, too. In years gone by, its add-ons for the TM M4 market were near legendary. Fast-forward to 2013, and its M4 platforms are by far the best value for money and for external quality. Internally, G&Ps are all nearly identical – so what does this Rapid Fire gun have to offer?
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I have never been the biggest fan of the short, stubby M4; I prefer something with a bit of length. I don’t know if this is more for realism, or just because I find a longer rifle more comfortable, but this package did make me raise an eyebrow – purely because of the nice touches with the packaging and the overall look of what is offered. G&P is really trying new things these days, which is great. This could be to compete with the never-ending surge of new rifles
being released by other companies. It kind of makes me happy that G&P hasn’t gone down the ‘Sportline’ route and have stuck to their guns – pun intended – with quality, fairlypriced rifles.
Real Steel I’m not going to bore you with another description of a rifle you are probably already familiar with. Suffice to say, M4s are so utterly common it is bordering on dull some days, but you
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THE ARMOURY | G&P RAPID FIRE
“It makes me happy that G&P hasn’t gone down the ‘Sportline’ route and have stuck to their guns with quality, fairly-priced rifles”
cannot deny they are good, too. Their simple design and function means that they have been used for decades with very little design change. You can customise the overall function with a variety of bling too, with a RIS rail front end.
The Replica Short barrelled with a stubby grip, stubby stock and a silencer, the G&P Rapid Fire sounds a bit of a shrunken effort all round! But then if that is
what you are looking for, then this is going to blow your socks off. The finish here is perfect, as we have come to expect from G&P. The markings are nice, too – with Navy Seal logos, plus the slogan, ‘God will judge our enemies; we will arrange the meeting.’ This always raises a little smile. The silencer is a QD type with a Knights logo, which really does look fetching when it is all assembled. The Troy magazine feels a tough alternative to the P-MAG, and a metal
Troy rearsight is also included. The snake-skin pistol grip is surprisingly comfortable, too – and easily as nice as the Magpul MOE version. But what about the important stuff? G&P has always made a goodperforming rifle, but what is really impressive is the M120 high-speed motors. They are, by a considerable margin, the fastest out-of-the-box rifles available today. Internally, the gearbox has 8mm bearings, so they should be able to withstand you
The silencer is a QD type with a Knights logo
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THE ARMOURY | G&P RAPID FIRE
tinkering with all types of upgrades. 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 6.03mm, 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 strictly necessary, the rifle will often easily run a 11.1V LiPo, albeit at an outrageous 1200-1300 rounds-perminute. Rapid fire, indeed. When you break this rifle down to its basic parts, the production values appear quite impressive. As always, the branded parts look and feel high quality. The markings are sharp and clear and the finish from the rail to the polymer stock is all extremely good. The only issue I had was, while the barrel extension silencer did give me an extra 40fps, it also became less accurate. This may have just been the
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version I tested, but it was a bit of a shame. Many players like to swap out the hop rubber and hop unit, not to mention fitting ASCU units (see my article in the June issue of Airsoft Action for more on these). Other than that, G&P is still my favourite AEG supplier for M4s, now if only they would make different weapon types we could have some really cool stuff. A short rifle like this always looks a little lost in the woodland arena for me personally. However, in a CQB environment it would work wonders, the rails giving plenty of space for torches and lasers without compromising on size and manoeuvrability. Overall, I quite like the stubby stock for some reason. Even though I’d personally never buy one as an additional item for my rifle, it does work well here.
Conclusion As mentioned earlier, M4s are extremely common, and for me this is a bit of a no-no for the woodland player – being more of a CQB and
indoor rifle. The silencer extension is pretty nice, a good idea, and the compact design of the rifle means that smaller players can really get to grips with this easily without tiring themselves out too quickly. Care will have to be taken with the silencer for your game site – just make sure that you don’t push it over the site limit once the silencer is applied!
INFORMATION & PRICE G&P Rapid Fire
LENGTH: 580mm/660mm; 690/775mm (with silencer) WEIGHT: 2.96kg BUILD MATERIAL: Metal, ABS and PA INNER BARREL LENGTH: 195mm (340mm with silencer) GEARBOX: 8mm bearing MOTOR: G&P M120 high-speed MAGAZINE: 130-round Troy mid-cap SILENCER: M16 QD GRIPS: Snake-skin pistol style, plus stubby Raider foregrip SIGHTS: Troy-style rearsight PRICE: £335
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DYTAC URX III Dytac has produced the long awaited URX III rifle as used by his lordship, Chris Costa – but is it worthy of the beard? Over to Scott Allan…
D
ytac, or Dynamic Tactical, has been around for many years as a parts manufacturer, much like G&P. In recent months, it has been heavily involved in the water transfer of A-TACS and MultiCam parts for rifles as an alternative to painting – innovations that have been well received on the airsoft market. In addition, over the last 12 months Dytac has dived head-first into the complete AEG market, and I’m interested to find out whether it can contend with the big boys like G&P. The Dytac URX III is a long-awaited rifle, made famous largely due to its
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association with Magpul guru Chris Costa. The rifle is essentially an SR16 with a KAC URX front rail and a drizzle of Magpul parts, including the ASAP sling plate, which is great for transitioning from left to right shoulder without your sling getting tangled up. The MOE stock and pistol grip are two of the best parts available for airsoft rifles today. They are tough, comfortable, and actually work really well.
Real Steel The ‘URX’ refers to the rail made by Knights Armament Company (KAC)
– essentially the latest incarnation of a rail system. The idea behind modular rail systems is lower weight. More rails equal more metal and that is more weight, which you have to carry and lift into the shoulder and fire. These lightweight mobile rails are becoming very popular in the civilian shooting world, and also in the airsoft marketplace. The days of lugging around endless kilos of steel are coming to an end, and the super-lightweight polymer age is approaching rapidly. KAC knows firearms inside and out; it is responsible for some of the best rifles
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THE ARMOURY | DYTAC URX III
around today and is regarded as a premier manufacturer.
The Replica Opening the box, I am greeted by the URX III in dark earth. It is the right colour – at least for me – and I am eager to see what Dytac has done to produce this rifle. I am praying I am not disappointed. When I opened the plain brown cardboard box, I was unsure what to expect or how I would feel about this new platform. I’d never seen a Dytac rifle in the flesh, and generally regard new manufacturers with a little bit of suspicion. Not because I am some kind of snob, I am sure you will appreciate – otherwise I’d never review anything other than Systema PTWs and tell you about
how wonderful they are. You don’t want to hear that and it quite simply isn’t true. I was unsure about this rifle, perhaps because the box lacked anything exciting, or perhaps because it wasn’t a G&P – which for me is the definitive M4 producer. Nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised when I picked the URX up out of the box. It feels solid and well built. The stock doesn’t seem to wobble (as I sometimes find with Magpul parts on some rifles) and everything feels tight. The finish looks pretty nice, but there are slight colour variations between the upper and lower receivers and, while it looks good, it is not quite in the G&P bracket just yet. Now, we all know the saying about ‘mutton dressed as lamb’, and that is quite frequently the case with pretty rifles from new or smaller manufacturers. I remember back when King Arms released its Sig 556 and, after it got stuck in customs for five weeks and finally arrived, I couldn’t have been more disappointed. It shot like a drunk with a MAC-11, the stock wobbled more than Mr Blobby’s eyes and it sounded terrible. In the end, I sold that rifle without ever having used it in a skirmish – and so with all that in mind, I prepared to be let down by the URX, although it turned out to be not half bad. It wasn’t great, with an inconsistent fps, but the hop worked well – with a fair few flier shots, but a good range on most. So, a mix of good and bad.
The URX front end incorporates a hand stop
The rifle features an MOE stock… …and the pistol grip is nicely palm filling
On Test On paper it all looks pretty nice. Well, the quality is definitely there in certain places, but through testing (and once I had a look inside) I discovered very clear areas for improvement. As always, this may set off alarm bells, but they are not major changes – and nor are they
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expensive. Nonetheless, this is why the question is always raised, ‘Why are there any bad guns these days?’ Does the bean-counting for cheap parts really extend so far as to allow a sub-standard product to be sent out? Imagine a Ford Focus RS with a regular Focus engine. You are losing out effectively. Inside the Dytac URX III appear to be Cyma-like parts. They may not be, but they certainly bear a strong resemblance to Cyma. This doesn’t mean they are bad parts, but this is a higher-end model that has been cut short of being brilliant. The metal hop unit and H bucking are clearly responsible for the good range – this fits with the standard-type brass barrel. The wiring, like that from so many manufacturers, is quite light and I would be quick to change it to ASG Ultimate silver wire to aid with the rate of fire and trigger response. The motor looks like a fairly standard type, which has neither a particularly high torque nor high speed. The gearbox would really benefit from
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upgrades, the plastic piston head, clear plastic tappet plate, and air nozzle just show where the quality has slipped. In-game, this rifle is perfect for me; the length is just right. I love the rails and it didn’t take long for me to set it up with my little toys. I am not a massive fan of the URX hand stop, but it does work. The weight is nice and, more importantly, so is the balance of the rifle. The ASAP sling plate is the best available for me. I can quickly manipulate the rifle into a comfortable position and make the shots I need before moving on. The magazine changes are quick and the rifle feeds flawlessly. I find the URX front sight a bit of a hindrance, due to its design, but that is not a major issue for me. All in all, as a design I like it… in fact I love it! It ticks every box from an ergonomics point of view. Where it fails for me personally is the consistency. I know it can be achieved quite easily from a rifle these days, and I find it a little frustrating that some rifles are so far off the mark.
Conclusion This is a great rifle. It looks fantastic, feels fantastic… but just misses the mark (literally) on consistency and accuracy. I wouldn’t say ‘do not buy one,’ but I would make sure you have a decent techie change over the barrel, piston head, wire, tappet plate and air nozzle almost straight away. Once these easy upgrades are finished I think you would have a pretty special rifle. Think a slightly lower quality G&P, and you have pretty much got the Dytac rifle.
INFORMATION & PRICE DYTAC URX III
LENGTH: 810mm/895mm INNER BARREL LENGTH: 380mm WEIGHT: 3.2kg MAGAZINE: 120-round P-MAG GEARBOX: 8mm bearing HOP UNIT: Metal; H nub fitted STOCK: Magpul MOE, with URX III front end and URX III hand stop GRIP: Magpul MOE pistol grip PRICE: £330
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king of the mill
Our man in north-west England, Ron Mahoney, heads to a former cotton mill turned airsoft site under the ownership of First & Only…
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ormerly responsible for manufacturing (of all things) knickers, Warwick Mill in Middleton, Manchester is a huge, imposing red-brick building that stands proud as a symbol of the cotton trade in this former mill town. A few years back, there was a multi-million pound scheme to re-develop the mill into luxury flats, but as the global financial tsunami swept into town the appetite for luxury designer property fell flat. But it’s not all doom and gloom from the airsofter’s point of view – as it has led to one of the fastest, largest,
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most thought-provoking CQB sites I’ve visited, and I’ve played a few! The Hive is First & Only Airsoft’s latest site in north-west England, adding to an already substantial stable of woodland, mixed urban and MoD sites. Looking into the agent’s notes on Warwick Mill, my eyes were watering and my jaw dropping at the staggering cost of renting just one floor of this building. How F&O cut a deal to rent the whole thing is beyond me. The site consists of three identical floors, each about the size of a large football pitch. There are stairwells
allowing you to enter at both ends of each floor, and F&O has used the dozens of supporting posts on each level to create a different hessian maze. Some areas are very much ‘up-close and personal’, where you know that there is somebody the other side of the screen. Other parts allow for quite a decent engagement range, possibly up to 50m on certain long, corridor-like funnels. It also allows the layout on each of the floors to be changed relatively easily. Future plans include the use of militarygrade inflatable walls.
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SITE SITEREVIEW REVIEW| F&O: | THETHE MANOR HIVE When I arrived, I saw that the safe zone easily held the 40-odd players that were furiously kitting up while downing plenty of fluids, as we were there on the hottest day of 2013. Just outside the safe zone was the chrono area where all guns must be tested to meet the site’s ideal value of 328fps, or max limit of 350fps. The safety briefing was comprehensive, as F&O believes all players should know the ground rules to make the games flow more easily. The marshals outlined the rules, with special emphasis on the site’s cardinal rule: no cheat calling. Fair play is the main objective, and the reason why each floor has two to three marshals in high-vis, and a number embedded to help the momentum of the game. With the briefing and chrono-ing completed it was time to move off for the first game. I was quite surprised when the marshals and a couple of chosen players stated that it was going to be all 40-odd defenders versus just a handful of them! It was interesting to say the least. Once hit you joined the attacking force, so you can imagine those at the end faced overwhelming odds, until there was just one person left cowering in a corner with a pistol. After this we split into two groups and each moved to a lower or upper floor. The guys at The Hive have tried to rule out the constant choke points that turn areas of any CQB site into a ‘hit’ conveyor belt. Certain choke points within a site can make it almost impossible for a team to move through without getting rinsed, especially as most sites don’t or won’t allow the use of shields. On each floor of The Hive is a
“Once hit you joined the attacking force, so those at the end faced overwhelming odds, until there was just one person left cowering in the corner with a pistol” www.airsoftactionmagazine.com
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central ‘no-man’s-land’ – and depending on your mission the marshals will either allow you to move freely over this feature, or be restrained by it. Our first game was a recovery exercise, with each team taking it in turns to defend and attack. Three parts to a bomb had been hidden on the floor. The attacking team could move freely across the whole floor while the defenders could only move up to noman’s-land. The way the game was set up meant that the attackers had time to regroup in relative safety each time they found and retrieved a part. Once they had the three parts, they would move the bomb to the defenders’ end. This game was pretty stealthy. There were still plenty of contacts, but once either team had identified the location of a part then the action would inevitably switch there. In our games, both teams only managed to retrieve one part, so it was a draw. We then trooped back to the safe zone to mag-up and take on some water. The teams from the lower floor were already there and, by the streams of sweat running from their brows, I could tell that this next game would
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The hessian maze-style set-up at The Hive makes for some exciting and stealthy games
be far from sedate. Having re-gassed it was off to play murder bomb/ball/box – it changed so often. In this version of an old favourite an ammo tin was placed somewhere in the central no-man’s-land area. Each team started at the opposite end of the floor, and then when ‘game-on’ was called, would rush to find the box, retrieve
it and then try to move it to their opponent’s end of the site. It was fast, furious, and all about working together – lone wolves didn’t stand a chance. Somehow our team of seven, which included four players on the wrong side of 40, managed a 4-0 win. Thankfully, though, it was just before lunch and it gave us the chance to get
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back to the safe zone and take on plenty of water. Chatting over lunch with F&O’s Jamie Forrest, he explained they had set the morning games up specifically so that newcomers could get a feel for how everything works. “The first game is just about being able to roam the floor and explore and get a feel for the obstacles we’ve laid out, as each one is similar in layout with identical dimensions. The second game was about teamwork and moving together to find an objective, secure it, protect your team and ultimately trying to withdraw under fire. The final game of the morning is aimed at teaching that a bit of speed and aggression is needed sometimes to succeed.” The entry price includes lunch, and it was F&O’s now famous hot dogs, and there was plenty for all. This was also an opportunity to browse around the small shop that is set up and top up on those essentials such BBs and gas. Afternoon games spanned all three floors. Each scenario gave an equal chance to each team to win, whether defending
or attacking. The ability to use the site’s layout helped. In the first scenario the attacking team had to move a laptop into an area and download a virus. Starting on the top floor, the aim for the defenders was to stop the download and we were on a rule of hit-medic-hit-move to the floor below. I think we held one floor for just short of 20 minutes, lost the floor below quite easily, and held the last for again around 20 minutes before end-ex was called. The no-man’s-land concept really worked well through all the afternoon’s games. In one, the attackers had to escort a High Value Target from the top floor to the bottom floor using a predetermined route that only the HVT knew. Had the defending force been given full rein of the site they would have simply waited at the bottom of the stairwell on each floor, and the attackers wouldn’t have stood a snowball’s chance in hell. But as they could play up to and in the no-man’s-land area it meant that we had a chance to make it through each stairwell and then make a dash into the next room. The afternoon finished with a classic pistol and shotguns versus AEGs freefor-all to let everyone blow off some steam. With the mercury rising to around 26 degrees outside there was plenty of that. Sitting in the car at the end of the day I was glad of two things: firstly that the property market will be fragile for the foreseeable future so I doubt there will be any redevelopment at Warwick Mill any time soon; and secondly that my car’s air-conditioning was working! Although shattered, as I looked up at the huge red walls, I knew The Hive is a honey-pot that’ll lure this bee back very soon indeed.
INFORMATION & PRICES FIRST & ONLY AIRSOFT: THE HIVE LOCATION: Warwick Mill, Oldham Rd, Middleton, Manchester, Lancashire, M24 1AZ WEB: www.firstandonlyevents.co.uk TEL: Jamie – 07786 075129 PRICE: Walk-on £35 FACILITIES: catering, car park, safe zone, battery charging, fully-stocked shop, hire guns
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SILENT ASSASSINS
Airsoft snipers – tactical necessity and boon to the game or snakes in the grass who don’t like getting hit? Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey adjudicates…
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hile we all love a Sunday skirmish, whether or not it’s much fun to be taken out by an unseen ‘sniper’ has always been a bit of a contentious issue. Here at Airsoft Action we had a flurry of letters last month on the subject of snipers, and following on from our sniper’s kit bag feature, and with this month’s articles from Kris Roberts on sniper skills (see page 61), and Dan Mills on British Sniper Patrick Devlin (page 56), we thought it would be a good idea to get both sides of the story. We’ve all been pinned down by an airsoft sniper, most of us have been hit by one, and a fair few of us have given it a go. But how does the high-power, hidden shooter impact on the game? In the ‘real steel’ world of modern military operations the sniper is often a soldier at the top end of his unit’s skill base – but down at the skirmish site it can often seem
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that a cheap springer and a ready-made ghillie suit can convince some players that they are Dan Mills himself. So, getting down to brass tacks, are snipers in airsoft really worth it, or are they – quite literally – a pain in the neck? Many players, especially those who have undergone sniper courses in real life, feel that taking that ‘one shot, one kill’ approach during a game is only a part of a true sniper’s skill set. Real world snipers use their fieldcraft and stealth skills to get within 500m of their target at times – often taking days to get into position to ensure a hit with their first round. In comparison, outside of lengthy MilSim events, the airsoft sniper often only has 45 minutes of game time, and doesn’t have the luxury of spending hours ‘stalking’ his or her opponent. The jury is also out on whether airsoft snipers, with their increased fps (many shooting at a maximum rate of 500fps),
actually replicate their real-world counterparts at all. While in Afghanistan and Iraq NATO snipers frequently made hits at over 1km (with some exceptional shots over 2km), the majority of ‘sniper’ shots are taken at ranges where regular small arms can still reach them. While the return fire might not be accurate or effective, it’s a long way off from the frustrating airsoft scenario where you simply can’t hit a sniper as close as 100m, but they can still send you off packing to the safe zone! Chatting to a few of our readers, we also found that many players felt the ‘amateur sniper’ (and the term sniper really is overused these days, with any lone gunman being a ‘sniper’ regardless of training) detracted from most teams. Simply put, the consensus was that few players had the patience or aptitude to play the role and, in fact, would serve their team better wielding an AEG.
DEBATE | SNIPING READERS’ VIEWS JOHN MAYNE: “Most airsoft snipers are pretty useless. They run cheap spring rifles and sit around doing very little of use. I’d rather have a guy with an AEG take their place.” THOMAS GOSPEL: “It depends on the game. At a normal skirmish snipers don’t bring too much to the fight but in something like a Tier1 event they can be pretty useful for locking down areas and observation.” TIM JACOBS: “Most annoying are new players who have a sniper rifle as their first gun, thinking it’s like COD. All they do is deprive the team of a more useful assault rifle or SMG. No player should be allowed to snipe unless they’ve been playing for at least a year.” ASHLEIGH ‘ROSE’ WRIGHT: “It’s each to their own opinion with sniping – but personally I love it. I think it’s a good way of honing your airsoft skills and it adds more variety to the game. When I make a shot with a sniper it feels that much more satisfying because I’ve taken the time to build up a new airsofting skill set.” CHRIS MARTIN: “A sniper needs to be a sniper, not someone running around with a long gun in normal gear. A sniper needs to be wearing a ghillie that they have made or spent time customising themselves, and have a knowledge of camouflage, concealment and how to stalk.” ANDY WATERS: “They bring a certain fear factor to games; inexperienced players will often hide behind cover and not move if they know a sniper is downrange. There are plenty of good ones at my local site, and they’re bloody good shots.” DEREK MACLEAN: “They are a necessity in the game. After all, they exist in the real world. How can you have a game and say no snipers? It doesn’t matter who shoots you. It does change a game as your team then looks for the sniper.”
Sniping is one of the most divisive issues on the skirmish field
Particularly criticised were the newcomers to the sport who dive into sniping after playing games like Call of Duty. A combination of unrealistic expectations from their often entry-level rifle, coupled with inexperience in taking hits, means frustration all round as newbie snipers often have no idea that BBs are bouncing off their ghillie suits. One final criticism, again levelled at the less experienced player, was that a high fps gun on most sites means packing a sidearm to deal with shots within the minimum engagement distance, which is fine if you’ve got the playing time under your belt to accurately guess ranges – but a real pain (in every sense of the word) to the opposition if you don’t. But enough with the negative waves. Plenty of players out there feel that sniping is vital, if not essential, to making airsoft an exciting military simulation and varied game. Who can forget the first time they were engaged by a sniper, that crack and whiz of a BB travelling at frightening speed, rushing past your head and your whole team taking cover as someone shouts ‘They’ve got a sniper! Can anyone see him?’ In the eyes of many skirmishers, snipers in airsoft play the same vital role as they do in real warfare. They slow up the advance of the enemy, and accurately pick off commanders and support gunners – and the best ones even act as the eyes and ears of your team: a hidden
advance scout able to radio in every movement the foe make before you contact them. A fair proportion of readers felt that snipers really come into their own and add the most to the game in a MilSim scenario. In a twoday game, they really have the chance to get into a good position and relay vital info – something you simply can’t do in a 45-minute open day game. As for the snipers themselves, well they’ll simply tell you that the adrenalin rush from being within spitting distance of the enemy, watching them patrol past and waiting until they’re at a safe distance before taking out their commander is unbelievable. To the airsoft sniper, it’s a game of cat and mouse – and one that requires a level of patience and cunning far beyond most players. But don’t take our word for it – try it yourself! Who knows? You might be one of the stealthy few really cut out for it…
HAVE YOUR SAY Got an opinion to share on the sniper debate? Got an idea for a future topic? Get in touch with Airsoft Action via the address on page 4, or email michaelh@blazepublishing.co.uk. Look out for future debate polls at our Facebook page (facebook.com/ AirsoftAction)
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EVENTSITE REPORT REVIEW | THE| THE LONGMANOR WALK
the long walk Oscar Plummer heads back to ‘Nam in the latest game in Gunman Airsoft’s FilmSim series
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merica’s involvement in the Vietnam War remains controversial to this day, alternately derided and mythologised by countless films, books and TV programmes. One of the most wellknown films (I won’t say best) is We Were Soldiers, Mel Gibson’s 2002 adaptation of the book by US Cavalry Lt. Colonel Hal Moore and war photographer Joe Galloway. Colonel Moore lead the 1st Batallion, 7th Cavalry in what is often regarded as the first major heliborne battle of the war. His unit of 400 men was dropped into a landing zone in the Ia Drang valley and found themselves engaged against 4,000 North
Vietnamese regulars. What followed, immortalised by Joe Galloway’s photos long before Mel Gibson’s film, was a triumph for the Americans, who found themselves victorious against overwhelming odds. Less well known is the terrible, almost farcical episode that followed. Emboldened by success and scornful of the enemy, General Westmoreland refused requests for the Americans to withdraw, determined not to show any semblance of retreat. Instead, he ordered an overland march by reinforcing battalions of 7th Cavalry, with 2/7 heading for an objective named LZ Albany. The march was to go down
as one of the bloodiest encounters of the war. That’s where Gunman Airsoft’s Long Walk picked up the action. Gunman has a reputation for well-crafted FilmSim events, weaving airsoft action into detailed narrative scenarios spread across a range of historical settings. The Long Walk is the latest in Gunman’s series of Vietnam-themed events, and plunges players straight into the chaos of the long march to LZ Albany. Taking place over two days, the turnout for the event was excellent – three full platoons of US Army, a sprinkling of recon/seal types, plus a detachment of Aussies. On the other
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side, a solid bunch of PAVN/Vietcong was lurking in their own camp, back under the trees. Both sides were briefed separately, with the Vietnamese forces shuttled off to their start point somewhere amid Eversley’s wooded valleys. Josh, who runs Gunman, had asked me to embed with the US as a combat correspondent, so I pinned on my peace symbol, grabbed my cameras and prepared to tag along with the grunts. As this was a FilmSim event, the emphasis was on immersion – so as well as the basics, a few specific rules were added. Medic rules were in play, with each player having a couple of bandages, and a medic working with each platoon. Each platoon also had a flag-carrier, who could deploy a mobile spawn point under orders from the platoon Lt., who would be leading their men through the day. Josh also stressed that unit cohesion was key – no lone-wolfing in this event. In Vietnam, troopers would not have gone off on their own. Similarly, given it was 1965, comms were limited. Each platoon had a radio operator who would have to stick to their Lt. like glue, lest the units get cut
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off from central command. Throughout the day, unit orders were communicated through good old-fashioned shouted commands. Players were to signal hits in as blood-curdling a scream as they could muster! Finally, mags were real caps – mid-caps were allowed but players could only load only 20 or 30 rounds.
Day One The US players were given their outline brief; they were to be dropped at the other end of the site, and would have to make their way to LZ Albany. Platoons were loaded into vehicles and convoyed up to the start point – a good mile and half away. Undaunted, the players formed up, with platoon leaders briefed on direction and order of march, and set out for LZ Albany. Thirty seconds later, all hell broke loose. The point section was cut down by a series of blasts, while concealed snipers started picking off the grunts. VC were on top of us with mortars and automatic fire straight away. With typically aggressive tactics, the second and third platoons in the line spread out and hacked forward through dense
undergrowth, looking to engage the VC flank and bring them to battle, while casualties were frantically dragged back to aid posts. At first it seemed that superior organisation and firepower would turn the tide for the US, but just as they began to gather some headway the VC launched a devastating wave attack. Whistles shrilling and red flag to the fore, a massed wave of PAVN regulars sprang up from cover and steamed forwards, threatening to roll up the US flank and slaughter us all. Fortunately, a couple of well-sited M60s just managed to hold back this assault – and after just 15 minutes both sides pulled back to lick their wounds. The rest of the morning saw the GIs cover a lot of ground. The column moved up and over ridges, through woods and swampy ground, across sandy clearings and grassy pastures. Once we finally reached the abandoned FOB, we were glad of the chance to get off of our feet for a few minutes. However, that break wasn’t to last. With the column still under sniper fire and with mortars threatening us, the command team sent
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Realism is an important factor at themed events
patrols out to try and gauge exactly what sort of enemy we were facing. I tagged along with the doughty 2nd platoon, which pushed out to an area known only as Point 18, which turned out to be an abandoned shack. Finding it empty, we hunkered down and got a much-needed coffee brewing. Unfortunately for 2nd platoon, this was the first of many times that attempting to warm up a can of coffee seemed to attract the enemy. Just as the Lt. lifted the can off of flame, rounds started to ping in. VC and PAVN had crept right up on our position in force; sentries were wiped out in seconds and a boiling-hot assault commenced. At first, the platoon seemed to hold its own, but before long it was clear we were surrounded, cut off and fixed in place. The radio operator was on the net, desperately trying to call in a rescue – but the VC concentrated their fire and steadily picked off the grunts, one by one. Salvation arrived in the form of a Special Forces patrol. The VC melted
back into the jungle, bayonetting any wounded as they went – and in an act of spectacular vengeance, their parting shots knocked down the Special Forces Lt. who was (perhaps foolishly) trying to medic me! Back at the FOB, the command team had decided that the base location was getting too hot and it was time to move. After an expertly co-ordinated attack took down two PAVN positions, with engineers spiking the mortar tubes, patrols were called in and the column moved onwards to the next position, a fortified ridgeline, codenamed Cortina. By now we’d hit mid afternoon – players had been on their feet for nearly six hours and had covered a lot of ground, so a few took the opportunity to grab a few minutes’ kip. Unluckily for them, the enemy forces still had plenty of vim, so their rest was rudely interrupted by the enemy testing the lines. One platoon, however, turned the VC’s own tricks back on them; tasked to head out and recover ammunition
and medical supplies, they left ambush parties in place along their route of march, expecting the VC to jump them as they retraced their steps to Point Cortina. True to form, that was exactly what the enemy forces tried to do – but walked straight into murderous crossfire from well-sited M60s. The first day closed with two significant events. As the light began to fade, the final PAVN mortar position was overrun, following an incredibly brutal, grinding engagement around the position; fighting was almost at handto-hand distance, with waves of PAVN counterattacks breaking almost on top of the grunts’ gun barrels. The fight was finally decided by a volley of well-aimed grenades, which shattered the PAVN’s will and spiked their guns. It was at this point, also, that the grunts encountered an Australian patrol, which had been stealthily working its way through VC positions all day. As end-ex was called for the day, the Aussies joined forces with the GIs and drew up plans for the final push to LZ Albany.
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EVENT REPORT | THE LONG WALK evac. Command ordered all supplies – medical and ammunition – that could not be carried to be ditched. This final push would be hard-fought and there would be no stopping. Only those who made it to the choppers would make it out; anyone left behind was on their own. With final orders given, the platoons spread out at the base of the rise and prepared to advance – and moved out into vicious plunging fire from VC and PAVN. Undeterred, the GIs fought their way up and into the clearing, ducking and weaving, lugging the wounded, frantically trying to make their way through the defenders towards the smoke marking the dust-off point. Platoons manoeuvred in support of each other, wearing away the defenders and finally overwhelming them with weight of fire. As they neared the rescue point, though, ammunition began to run low and the numbers of wounded began to rise. Soon there were more people carrying a wounded buddy than firing a rifle. Finally, mercifully, paths were punched through the defenders and, throwing caution to the wind, the surviving GIs dashed through to the choppers and safety.
Conclusion Day Two The second day saw the GIs form up in column again. This time, the Aussie patrol took the fore, having scouted the route the day before. With a wry reminder to his patrol that if they took contact they should lie down and let the Americans shoot over them, the Commonwealth’s finest struck out and hit the VC where it hurt. What followed was a non-stop, lightning-paced, relentless running battle. After no more than five minutes’ progress, the Aussies made contact with the enemy and punched a hole straight through them! Assaulting uphill at pace, they dominated the waiting ambushers with supreme drills and energy, then held the line as the GIs fanned out behind them, repulsing wave after wave of PAVN regulars. Their spearhead allowed the GI steamroller to gather pace, surging through a VC village. However, the enemy forces had left plentiful booby traps in their wake, and the time it took to clear them allowed the enemy to regroup. As the column moved out again, the Vietnamese forces
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managed to form a defensive line and this time luck ran dry for the Aussies, who were themselves bushwhacked and took heavy casualties. Fighting was soon right back at face-to-face distances – and it was only when the GIs massed their support weapons that they managed to break the stalemate and move forwards again. From here on, the three platoons of GIs and their Aussie compatriots found themselves at the base of a rise, blocking their way to LZ Albany. With no other option, they pushed upwards, fighting their way into withering fire from Vietnamese defenders, but organisation, energy and firepower came together and won the day. Genuinely knackered, the GIs paused at the top of the hill to regroup, while the Aussies took their leave – their task needed them to stay in country. I took the opportunity to check the time and realised that an hour had passed in the blink of an eye! That left one final push for the column – up onto LZ Albany, a cleared mound rising up out of the woods. The GIs knew that the PAVN and VC had massed everything they had between them and heliborne
As FilmSim goes, The Long Walk was a brilliantly immersive, impressive, enjoyable event. The pace, the atmosphere and the intensity of the two days was pitched, for my money, just right. Add to that a group of players (across both sides) who had put real effort into their kit, their style of play, and their attitude and this was a class act. The first day was a real build up to the final climatic scenes on Sunday morning, and the ultimate assault up onto LZ Albany was a non-stop thrill. Gunman is planning its next Vietnam game for later in the year, so if FilmSim historical games are your thing, check it out.
INFORMATION & PRICES Gunman Airsoft: Eversley LOCATION: Fleet Road, Eversley, Hampshire, RG27 0PY WEB: www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk TEL: 07854 277264 EMAIL: enquiries@gunmanairsoft.co.uk PRICES: £25 walk-on per day (£50 with hire); £40 (£85 hire) for weekend games. Consumables and pyros available.
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airsoft fight club
Kris Roberts checks out UCZ’s The Bunker – where simply turning up, kitting up, and shooting your mates is the order of the day
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tanding at the foot of the stairs, I can hear them. There are at least two, chatting quietly, confident that they hold the landing. They don’t know I’m there; that I’ve moved position and found that the back stairwell is unguarded. From the main corridor I hear the shouts and gunfire of my teammates as they push home their attack. I use the distraction to mask my movement, and climb slowly onto the first step. My breathing deepens. The adrenalin in my blood makes my fingers twitch, and deep in my chest my heart pounds so loudly I’m sure they’ll hear it. As I move up the stairs, I pass from light to dark and back to light, my eyes struggling to adjust
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quickly enough to the change. Halfway up the stairs I see the room ahead. There are two doorways leading out, one straight ahead, the other to the right. Beyond them, only darkness and the unknown. I hear the voices again but I can’t pinpoint them. They could be in the room itself, or just beyond the doorways; I won’t know until I’m at the top of the stairs. Suddenly, my short-barrelled M4 feels massive in my hands, so I loop it round onto my back and pull the sling tight against me. I draw my pistol and continue up. As I step into the room, I see movement through the doorway to the right: two figures, one facing away, the other side on. If I take another step he’ll see me. With my
pistol already raised I push it out towards my target. At arm’s length, I lose sight of it in the darkness, but trusting my instincts I squeeze the trigger. I hit my target and swing my aim to the next person, but he’s already reacted, and as I fire he dives for cover. I miss, and have to duck quickly as return fire is sent my way. With no choice I burst into the room, charge down my target and manage to get a shot onto his leg. Room clear, I prepare to move on, grinning from ear to ear. The Bunker at Exeter is owned and run by UCZ Paintball Parks, and operates primarily as a paintball and laser tag venue. But once a fortnight, on a Friday evening, The Bunker opens its doors exclusively
SITE SITEREVIEW REVIEW||THE THEBUNKER MANOR
Corridors make for a tense CQB environment…
…while cover is provided in the form of barrels and pallets
for airsofters. This offers local players the chance to play at a site unique to the area. A former WWII Royal Observer Corps building, it houses a maze of rooms from small offices and store rooms all the way up to the former map room, which, being at the lowest point of the complex, has now been nicknamed ‘The Pit’. Being a split level complex, The Bunker gives each player a multitude of tactical options when it comes to movement, spoiling them with five different stairways, mouse holes knocked through walls to allow you to climb or crawl through, and dozens of barrels and crates to provide cover within the rooms and corridors. What I found most effective was the use
of light, or lack of it. Moving from light to dark, or vice versa, during a firefight can be a deciding factor. You have to be aware of your shadows, as these can often be seen at the threshold of doorways long before you step through. Outside the main building, the guys of UCZ have built a street complex, complete with abandoned 4x4s, wooden buildings and stacks of oil drums to fight among. This area is home to the pitched battle, and allows a different type of gameplay to that found inside. The street fighting can be intense, and I found from personal experience that trying to crawl under a Land Rover while hundreds of rounds are slamming into the bodywork can be pretty
unnerving, but at the same time a lot of fun. While players are given the freedom of full auto outside, indoors is a strictly single-shot only affair. Given the extremely close proximity of engagements in The Bunker, such overkill would only lead to injury and bad feeling. The close quarters of the site, and the potential for a few painful moments, are obvious. I asked organiser Neil Ireland whether the site uses a ‘bang rule’ – whereby players can shout ‘bang’ rather than shooting opponents at extremely close range. He explained that, while there is no bang rule, UCZ does encourage its players to use their common sense and sportsmanship. For example, if an opposing player has his back to you and you can reach out and touch him, then do the decent thing and tap him on the shoulder and tell him he’s out. Alternatively if you enter a room and the same player is bringing his gun up to fire on you, then fire. This is a code of fair play and decent behaviour. It is a policy I agree with 100 per cent, and from my experiences on the night, it’s one that worked very well. Such a simple idea is characteristic of The Bunker. The games themselves are kept basic to keep things moving. The site is small and the time limited, so complicated scenarios would fall flat here. Instead there are simple objectives, often with time limits, and this encourages players to push on and not linger. This is a place for gunfighters, and those players who feel inclined to hang back will find themselves missing out on the thrill of extreme close-quarters combat. Whatever your playing style, you will see action; whatever your chosen gun, you will always be in range. There is no advantage than can be bought. Your survival through every engagement comes only through a keen awareness of your surroundings and skill at arms. In that respect, The Bunker is much like a fight club for airsofters. You turn up, you kit up, you fight.
INFORMATION & PRICES UCZ: The Bunker LOCATION: Poltimore, Exeter, EX4 0BB WEB: www.ucz.info TEL: 01626 833200 PRICE: £15 walk-on SITE LIMITS: 350fps on all guns
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over the top Ioan ‘Iggy’ Roberts reports back from OTT Adventures in North Wales
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ue to its geographic location, Over The Top Adventures (OTT) is one of the more ‘out of the way’ airsoft sites in the UK – but it has plenty to offer those who are willing to make the journey. OTT is a woodland site based near Amlwch on Anglesey, and having been around for 11 years, you might think it would be set in its ways – but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The site is constantly evolving, with new bases, bunkers, strongholds, firing points, and bridges that appear to change location every month – plus OTT offers vehicles for use in-game. This keeps the regular players on their toes and brings their custom back time after time. The site has also
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OTT is home to dramatic woodland games
SITE REVIEW SITE REVIEW | OTT ADVENTURES | THE MANOR OTT ADVENTURES SITE LIMITS AEGS AND GBBS: 350fps (including sidearms) SUPPORT WEAPONS: 400fps (minimum engagement 5 metres) BOLT-ACTION SNIPER WEAPONS: 500fps ELECTRIC (SEMI-AUTO) SNIPER WEAPONS: 400fps
Airsofters of all varieties will be at home at OTT
recently had a van fitted with seats in a helicopter layout to simulate air insertion into various locations dotted within the site. This was done to add yet another element to the games offered at OTT. Indeed, there is a wide variety of game scenarios available on different days throughout the month, ranging from beginner-friendly ‘fast ball’ game days through to scenario-based events that have missions and sub-missions that can last hours, or even a whole day. Beyond that, there are a number of full-weekend events that mean you live and fight in the field from start to finish. These weekenders can include the use of a further 90 acres of land, should the number of players be high.
This area was used in a popular game dubbed Distant Thunder, a full-weekend skirmish bordering on MilSim, but with some allowances, such as high-capacity magazines, to accommodate the more novice player, but at the same time still maintain the interest and enthusiasm of the more experienced hardcore players. The site owner and his team of friendly and enthusiastic marshals are mainly ex-forces. They all have a passion for airsoft at a basic tactical level and therefore ensure the games are challenging and enjoyable to all. They have over 30 years airsoft experience between them and started out by running three separate sites in North Wales. Now they concentrate all
their efforts on OTT. Every OTT marshal skirmishes, which keeps them up to date with the sport, therefore enabling them to appreciate the game and all the ingredients that go into a good game of airsoft. The site favours all types of airsofters, ranging from snipers through to heavy machine gunners and even those who skirmish CQB. Everyone can skirmish in their chosen style and feel they get a good day’s gaming. The site is best in dry weather, but still provides ample overhead canopy cover from the trees on wet days and can make for very interesting skirmishing. OTT Adventures allow most manufactured types of airsoft and smoke grenades, up to MK5 battle simulation grenades including BFGs. There is plenty of parking space, as well as a large safe zone with open and covered areas to prep kit, socialise and relax. The safe zone includes a shop where you can buy refreshments, new tactical kit and equipment ranging from ammo, gas, weapons and pyros to tactical vests, eye protection, survival aids and clothing. Registering, booking in, and the initial safety brief take place at the beginning of the day at the safe zone. The onehour lunch break is held at the safe zone during day skirmishes. A hot lunch can be had for a donation of £1.50 to the charity tin. Free fresh water, tea and coffee are available throughout the day. Overall, OTT has a lot to offer every airsofter, from the beginner just starting out in the sport and keen to experience different sites, to the experienced veteran wanting to test their skills in a new environment.
INFORMATION & PRICES Over The Top Adventures LOCATION: Near Amlwch, Anglesey. Set your sat nav for LL71 8VW TEL: 07731 744471 EMAIL: ottairsoft.club@mail.com WEB: www.ottairsoft.co.uk PRICES: £20 (green fee, day event); prices vary for skirmish days. HIRE: £35 for gun, 1000 rounds, eye protection and camouflage uniform. Discounts for groups
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ASSAULT AND BATTERY Michael Jones looks at the four types of batteries used in airsoft weapons past and present
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ll AEGs, regardless of make, model or version, require a power source. Here I’m going to look at the four main battery compositions used throughout the last decade – including all their good bits, and all their not-so-good bits. But before we start, let’s take a look at some of the basics.
mAh, MILLIAMP HOURS: The capacity of the battery, measured in milliamp hours (mAh), tells you how long it will last in certain conditions. Before intelligent chargers arrived to kindly beep at us when the battery had finished charging, you’d have to use the mAh value combined with the charger’s charge rate to calculate how much time was required; it was a pain in the arse. V, VOLTAGE: The voltage is essentially the ‘push’ that gets the power from the battery to the motor. The voltage determines the ferocity of the push; the higher the voltage the faster the motor will spin. C, OR CONTINUOUS DISCHARGE: With the NiCADs and NiMHs, you just choose your voltage and mAh rating and off you go, but with LiPO there’s another variable. This discharge rate is directly linked with the mAh. For example: 20C 1000mAh pack’s max constant discharge = 20x1000 = 20,000mA/1000 = 20 amps. Pretty safe! 45C 2500mAh = 45x2500 = 112,500mA/1000 = 112.5amps!
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The four types of batteries we’re interested in here are the NiCAD, NiMH, LiPO, and LiFE. Now, these might be the names you know them by, but they are in fact abbreviations of the full names. These are also the chemical compositions, so NiCAD is nickel cadmium, NiMH nickel metal hydride,
LiPO lithium polymer, and LiFE lithium ferrite. Don’t worry, I’m not going to go through how each one works, but it is worth noting a few of the important numbers that hold relevance to us and our AEGs. After this, I’ll go through and look at each type in more detail.
LITHIUM POLYMER A few years ago LiPos hit the town, causing ripples in our small pond. Forums and internet videos lit up with warnings of how unstable these batteries were. Now I’m not going to say that LiPos are bulletproof but, like everything, if you misuse them expect trouble. If you use them correctly, however, you’re pretty safe from a fireball in your battery compartment. They consist of two to three cells as opposed to a NiCAD’s/NiMH’s seven to eight – great if space is an issue. Airsoft variations are found in two flavours, 7.4V and 11.1V. The former can be considered equivalent to an 8.4-9.6V NiMh, whereas the 11.1V is popular if you prefer to shoot white sticks as opposed to BBs. The LiPo is now a very strong contender, giving both excellent performance and reliability if used correctly. They require slightly more maintenance but are much more versatile. Don’t forget to consider the ‘C’ rating and a specific charger.
WORKSHOP | BATTERIES NICKEL METAL HYDRIDE NiMH has been the bread and butter battery for a very long time, and not without good reason. They are very stable and easy to maintain, perform well, don’t carry any explosive tendencies and don’t require a special charger. Although the LiPo is becoming more common, I still think the trusty NiMH will be around for a long time to come. Unlike real steel enthusiasts, weight isn’t as much of a concern for us, so a bigger pack is quite feasible. A downfall you may have encountered is their storage discharge rate. Have you ever turned up to play to find you have a flat battery thinking, ‘I only charged it last week?’ I find a charge the night before the safest bet. It’s also worth mentioning their other pitfall: weather. They do not welcome extreme cold, and although not as deadly as it is to a gas gun performance, ‘dips’ may be noticeable in low temperatures. The one thing consistent with all batteries is that R&D and new technology is painfully slow in comparison to other fields. For that reason I see NiMH as a solid choice for the future AEG.
LITHIUM FERRITE
NICKEL CADMIUM
LiFE batteries have started creeping out in the last six months, offering a midway between the LiPO 7.4V and the 11.1V. They’re much more stable than a LiPO when considering accidents like shorts or low power. If LiPO was an F1 car then the LiFE would be a touring car: still a good choice if your rifle’s power hungry, but it doesn’t have the same oomph as a LiPO. They are more stable, but it all comes down to how you look after them. They are also more expensive, but hopefully prices will level when they’ve been integrated for a little longer. One of the things going for them is chargers. If you have a LiPO charger, chances are it can also charge a LiFE technology. Sadly there seem to be quite a few drawbacks to this newer pack.
Those of you who have been playing for some time will be familiar with NiCADs. Back before the LiPo revolution, the NiCAD was a commonly used battery in the airsoft world. One of the main benefits to the lowly old battery was its ability to handle high charge/discharge rates – something particularly useful with a powerful motor and spring. The second benefit was price: in comparison to the NiMH they were very good value for money. Sadly, there were far more drawbacks. The most widely known was their memory effect caused by not cycling the battery correctly (fully charged, fully discharged). Also, the longevity is almost half of a NiMH, averaging 300 cycles as opposed to 500. The NiCAD is an okay battery but there are better options.
So there you have it: four batteries, four technologies. Like with everything, you have pros, cons and most importantly, personal preference. I think if you’ve a standard AEG then a NiMH will be a strong contender. If, however, you want, or already have, tweaked and upgraded your weapon of choice, you can’t go wrong with a LiPO.
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INSIDE AIRSOFT | ACTIONSPORTGAMES
INSIDE ASG: PART 2 Last issue, Airsoft Action went behind-the-scenes at ASG’s world HQ in Denmark. This month, they throw open the doors to their giant warehouse facility and BB grading plant…
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ue to flight delays brought about by the good old British weather, the Airsoft Action team touched down at Copenhagen’s Kastrup airport late enough to disrupt our busy behind-thescenes schedule. As a result, we arrived at ASG’s impressive, 8,000 square metre Danish warehouse and distribution hub just in time to wave goodbye to the departing workforce! However, warehouse manager Bjorn Olsen was preparing for a Skype call with his opposite number at their soon-tobe-opened Los Angeles facility, so he was able to show us around, along with ASG’s international sales and marketing manager, Christian Olsen (no relation). Situated around 45 minutes’ drive north of Copenhagen, in Helsinge, the size of ASG’s main warehouse gave an instant clue as to the enormity of the company’s global operation. International flags fluttered in the wind, flanking a pair each of ‘goods in’ and ‘goods out’ bays – and, once inside the premises, now vacant of its
Just a small section of ASG’s vast warehouse facility
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Bespoke hand-scanners monitor the stock levels and location of ASG’s many products
Shipments prepare to leave the warehouse by the pallet load
industrious pickers and packers, we gazed in awe at the aisles of stock, piled from floor to a very high ceiling. Think Ikea… but on a bigger scale! Indeed, trying to imagine how anyone could find their way around such a huge warehouse was mind-boggling – until Bjorn demonstrated the high-tech, automated stock control system that eliminates the need for pen and paper. Using customcreated hand-scanners, the pickers and packers (as they’re called), fulfil orders with great efficiency, being directed around the vast aisles in a logical route thanks to the devices’ sat-nav-like software. A simple scan is then all that’s needed to confirm
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the order – and remaining stock level – and the data is constantly monitored on a realtime basis back at HQ. “There are countless crosschecks at every stage of the process,” explained Bjorn, “so that it’s impossible to make up an incorrect order for a customer. Also, the software keeps a constant, accurate picture of what products are in stock, and what might be running low. “This helps us with our forward ordering process form the suppliers in the Far East – and has an added bonus that our twice-yearly stock-take is a lot simpler. For an operation this size, that goes down very well with the staff!”
The system that ASG has developed even puts the products from each job in weight order so that pallets are packed and balanced correctly to avoid any damage during transit. And, courtesy of a giant turntable, each pallet is wrapped in black plastic by a special machine, which makes it easy to identify if the consignment has been damaged or tampered with when it reaches its final destination. “It’s just another safeguard in the whole distribution system,” said Bjorn, “and it’s something our customers feel very reassured by.” ASG’s philosophy is based around the customer, and it’s clear that it doesn’t just apply to their products, but their production processes also. Although there was no employee activity in the now-shut warehouse, you’d need to be blind to not notice the mountains of BB shipments in the ‘goods inward’ section. For this is where ASG’s ammo gets checked, bottled-up and shipped – an mammoth operation that revolves around one, diminutive lady called Heidi, who’s been the kingpin of ASG’s BB operation for the past five years. ASG’s ammo has built up a deserved reputation across the world for its top quality, and the reason is Heidi and her bespoke grading machinery, which runs from 6am until 4pm every day to ensure that the quality levels meet the stringent standards that the company insists on, regardless of whether it’s a medium or premium grade BB. As any airsofter knows, size conformity is essential when it comes to the manufacture of BBs, especially when they’re being used in AEGs. The BBs arrive from their Far Eastern manufacturer in giant crates weighing 500kg, and though
Heidi – a crucial component of ASG’s BB operations
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they’re supplied in various standards, polish and weight, ASG puts every single BB from its Grade 3 (Medium), Grade 2 and Grade 1 (Diamond) ranges through its own machinery in order to separate out those which have slight imperfections. Any BBs which are either incorrectly sized or not perfectly spherical don’t make it through. Christian and Bjorn kindly fired up a grading machine to demonstrate the process. The ‘raw’ BBs – from the supplier – are fed into a giant hopper [1] which, via a sophisticated air-suction system, then hoovers them up and feeds them through a precise gauging system [2]. ASG’s BBs measure up at between 5.95mm and 5.98mm according to type, and those BBs which are smaller by more than 0.01mm of the set size fall into a rejects’ sack [3], while the rest are blown onto a flat plate [4] with hundreds of precisely formed holes in. A correctly-sized BB will drop through and ‘pass’, but anything that’s more than 0.01mm larger than the set size will be rejected. Considering a machine can chew through three crates of BBs per day, the number of rejects from one crate is usually nothing more than a handful and certainly appears to be hardly worth all the effort. “Oh but it is,” assured Christian. “ASG has built up its reputation through high quality products, and we want our BBs to be the best, most reliable ammo that airsofters can use.” Bjorn added: “The system also gives us the advantage of being able to analyse the errors, so that we can identify any low-quality problems from our supplier. And if we start to see an increase in the number of rejected BBs, we simply stop all production on that particular batch. That way, we can maintain the very highest levels of performance with ASG-branded BBs, whether you’re buying a Q-Bullet or a Premium Blaster.”
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Once a crate of graded BBs is ready, it’s down to Heidi to bottle them up, add the packaging and prepare them for shipment. This she does on another custom-built machine [5], which works rather like a milkbottling plant. Typically, she’ll fill around 2,000 bottles (of up to 3,000 capacity) every day – around six million BBs! She also seals each bottle with the correctly
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coloured screw-top lid and then stickers it with the relevant packaging using an automated labelling machine [6]. Finally, she packs up giant boxes of BBs ready to be despatched to markets as far afield as New Zealand, Canada, Russia and Hong Kong. So, next time you crack open a bottle of Gold Fires, Q-Bullets or Blasters, spare a thought for Heidi and her six-million-per-day bottling plant. It’s thanks to her single-handed operation that you can load up safe in the knowledge that you’re shooting the most accurate BBs an airsofter can feed his or her equipment!
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DID YOU KNOW? ASG never markets its BBs as 100 per cent biodegradable. “All BBs contain some element of plastic in their manufacture,” says Christian. “But plastic won’t break down to the elements, so we simply won’t make a claim that we can’t substantiate.” Nevertheless, ASG have gone green with some of their ammo, like the Open Blaster, which contains a thermoplastic polyester derived from renewable resources like corn starch and sugarcane – elements which are biodegradable.
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operation crossbow In a sun-scorched Spanish military compound, Scott Allan helps a UK Task Force take on the deadly Taliban during Operation Crossbow
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tirling Airsoft has been running awesome events in Spain for many years now, so I wasted no time in signing up to fight with the ISAF Task Force at Operation Crossbow. Although Stirling Airsoft is one of the UK’s leading airsoft events companies it has no strict home site, which allows it to pick and choose venues without any hindrance to its key goal – to provide the most immersive and current scenarios possible. The use of game sites in Spain has brought about new challenges and cutting-edge games. Operation Crossbow was a two-part event held near Cartagena, in south-east
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Spain. The city has a major naval base and it was not uncommon to see the odd ISAF Puma low-flying across the very impressive bay at La Manga. The first part of the event involved training provided by a very professional duo of ex-Special Forces staff. During the training, both the Stirling regulars and the Spanish players were trained in the latest techniques of fighting in buildings. This gave new players a wholly immersive new experience and provided seasoned players with a chance to brush up on old skills and practise new ones. Training is always valuable, in particular with a group of people you don’t really know – which
was the case for me. Only the ignorant think they don’t need to be trained. As Sun Tzu said: “Which army is stronger? On which side are the officers and men more highly trained?”
Hostile Area This was to be my third overseas game, and as always there are little preparation techniques I found helpful, including brushing up a little bit on my Spanish. The first game I played abroad was in Madrid three years ago and it hit 43 degrees; last year near Valencia it was in the mid 30s, so this year I was slightly concerned that it
EVENT REPORT | OPERATION CROSSBOW could be another tough one with the heat. The site was an old Spanish mechanical engineers’ base. It was not the biggest I have played on, but there was a perfect atmosphere. As you come through the gatehouse, complete with a 12-foot wall, you get a kind of ‘Helm’s Deep’ feeling. The site is not what you would call an example of health and safety perfection. In fact, there are several areas that are rather sketchy, but I have always been a firm believer that, so long as you are sensible, a little bit of risk adds to the fun. A couple of areas were out of bounds as they were just too dangerous, but the rest just added to the feeling that we were in a hostile area. Arriving on the Thursday night, we were greeted with open arms by our Spanish hosts who had laid on an impressive barbecue, followed by some cold beers and sangria, which tasted great with the range of meats on offer. After a fairly late chat, we all tried to get some sleep. Friday was the day that the Stirling team did its training, brushing up on old skills and learning new ones from the ex-Special Forces advisors on site. The guys were spot on, and happy to answer reasonable questions about the ‘ifs and whys’ of the movements. Obviously, airsoft dynamics are slightly different from real-world assaults, but we found common ground, and the guys were impressed with how quickly the teams learned the drills and complex manoeuvres. The evening ended with social drinks and more of the Spanish players arriving. It was a bit of a late one and due to my silly sleeping habits I managed to total sum of one hour’s sleep. Not a great start for me!
Tension Builds Saturday morning started at a good pace. The Spanish and British teams took part in a safety brief in both languages so that there were no misunderstandings of the specific rules. Hats off to the translators and coordinator Mark Hughes. They seemed to be working three times as hard at certain points. After the brief we were into the demonstration with a door-breaching charge – which was earth-shockingly good. The good old EDI training method was used – explain, demonstrate, imitate – an age-old style of military teaching that works well for practical-based training. The Spanish teams were broken down into smaller elements and thrown into a
The site resembles a true ‘hostile area’
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building to practise until they were happy with the job of each man in the squad. Each team and player was welcomed to ask questions about the tactics used, and all questions were answered honestly. With the training complete the real fun began. Kick-off was 4pm, later than your usual UK MilSim – but then it is far hotter in Spain. By starting later you avoid the hottest part of the day and this means that players can work late into the night without becoming too fatigued. A stag rota was drawn up for the front gates of the ISAF
Shots ring out across the compound
Players fight for control of a key building
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base, patrols were sent out, and we slowly roasted in our own juices. Our first task as callsign 3-6 was to move out and secure a route for a VIP tour of the village. The VIPs were genuine, as it was the local police chief and officers from the Spanish marines who wanted to see the site and what airsoft is all about. The tour finished up at our FOB. A variety of callsigns were used to screen in advance, make a perimeter, and finally a rearguard around our VIP party. Thankfully the tour went without a hitch, but at several points
we felt that an attack was about to erupt. This all helped build the tension.
Night Ops Into the early evening, we were still without a contact and things seemed to quieten down. If the Taliban players were out there up to no good we couldn’t see them. A few pistol shots rang out as the sun set, but we still hadn’t got in a full-on fight. As we approached the witching hour, the peace collapsed like a house of cards. Searchlights and fully-automatic fire from the darkness
EVENT REPORT | OPERATION CROSSBOW of the market and several large buildings left us stuck. We had our noses bloodied and we needed to reorganise our forces and push into the enemy positions. Our first attempt was to take a pivotal building, numbered ‘22’. It held a solid position for the right-hand side of the AO. Our first attempt to assault saw half our squad getting blown up as they stacked up in a room. We headed back to our respawn and quickly worked our way forward to the building again. We spotted a Spanish callsign moving in, too, so we coordinated and smashed forward to clear the building. Then we realised that the rest of our callsign that survived the initial assault was not around, nor were they back at our FOB. This did not bode well. After some time we found out the grim truth: they had been captured by the Taliban. We now had to set about working out where they were and rescue them. The rest of the night was spent probing extremely well set-out defensive positions with little success. A main road provided an excellent killing field for our entrenched enemy. No matter which way we tried to push our advance we were
eventually cut down and stopped. A rethink was required – and quickly. We decided to concentrate on our local defence and the teams that had been out the longest were asked to grab an hour’s rest before we rolled out a large op at 3am. I lay on my roll mat in my gear with my rifle close to me and closed my eyes. Babies don’t sleep as well as I did – but they probably sleep for longer!
Silent Advance It felt like I had just closed my eyes when one of my teammates gently shook me: “It’s time.” With a muffed groan I hauled myself up onto my aching feet, checked my gear was set, and turned on my night vision, though the large spot lamps used by the Taliban made the NV difficult to use. Every callsign assembled, bar a small skeleton crew left to defend our FOB. The target was a multi-story building designated ‘31’. We had to push fast up the open ground in near silence with no torches. My callsign was in the middle of the advance led by the ISAF commander. We were told the basement floor was clear by a callsign ahead, so we approached more rapidly.
As we neared the building I shouldered my rifle to assess the situation through my NV. I saw our friendly troops around the rear of the building – but also spotted two enemies moving around from the other side of the building. I switched to my torch to allow the players not wearing NV to see the threat. By the time the enemy realised they’d been spotted it was over for them. They were captured for questioning and returned to our FOB. Our commander quickly moved to the large basement door, more like a garage, the rest of the team closely in tow. As he turned the corner he recoiled and ran backwards, firing into the entrance. It turned out the basement wasn’t clear at all and actually had eight Taliban standing around inside. After a quick coordinated fire fight the rest of the building was ours. We pushed around the site searching for our missing men without much luck. They could’ve been hidden in any dark corner or hole, and we would’ve walked right past them. We found a high concentration of Taliban in one building and after a 30-minute fire fight in the blackest night we took out the last of them and searched the building – nothing.
“I stood in my boxer shorts, barefooted in the morning sun, waiting for the Taliban to come around the corner” www.airsoftactionmagazine.com
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EVENT REPORT | OPERATION CROSSBOW
It turned out to be too late for our missing troops. We returned to our FOB in a structured withdrawal and got some muchneeded shut-eye. Two hours in the last 24 just didn’t seem to cut it.
Wake-Up Call I awoke after two hours’ sleep to the sound of gunfire in our FOB. Given where I was sleeping and how close it was, I knew it was bad. I was sleeping next to the ops room in the very heart of our base. In a single movement I sat up, grabbed my pistol and faced the sounds of fire. I retreated slowly a couple of feet to get my M4, sitting ready to go. I stood in my boxer shorts, barefooted in the morning sun, waiting for the Taliban to come around the corner. Luckily they didn’t come and our troops (more fully dressed than I) swept into the area of engagement. A Taliban leader had slipped through a hole in the outer wall, and walked through our base unarmed. Because he was unarmed he was no threat, and not noticed until he walked into a room with my callsign fast asleep. He stabbed one, and picked up a rifle lying against the wall to get another. Forward planning by another team member meant his rifle was also ready so he quickly sat up to deal with the threat. Safe to say I didn’t feel much like sleeping after that!
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We were given our morning brief. After our 3am assault the Taliban had taken the German Embassy building. This large, complex building has two floors, and was now the main area held by their forces. We learned that inside were the German ambassadors, the local police chief who was sold off by Taliban infiltrators in the police, and a local girl (turned out to be Matt Belgrove’s daughter, who heads up the Stirling team). This was the final straw for the soft touch, and the ISAF forces commandeered a vehicle fitted with a support weapon and prepared to assault the building. Before I go any further, I would like to add this is quite possibly the largest single assault I have seen during a MilSim event. I’ve seen large battles but this was structured perfectly. Each team had its area to control and move through. We hit the stairs. Several threat areas were covered instantly and, as we pushed, many rooms were grenaded in our advance. The Taliban dug in deep, but they were cornered and outnumbered massively. We pushed through the building and took casualties as we went. Most were only lightly wounded and we continued to push. We cleared the last area of the top floor as Taliban reinforcements started to push back onto the building. Searching the
rooms we found the police chief and Matt’s daughter safe, as the fighters could not reach them once the main assault started. Unfortunately for the German ambassadors it was too late, and three of them were killed. Our callsign extracted the hostages to our FOB quickly, and end-ex was called.
Conclusion Operation Crossbow had quite possibly the most atmospheric end to a game I have ever experienced. The fight was ferocious on both sides, yet the spirit of the event was maintained. As soon as end-ex was called, rifles were lowered and smiles raised. During the debrief, the exSpecial Forces instructors conveyed how impressed they were by both sides and, given the complexity of the building and hostage rescue scenarios, that the ISAF team had achieved a good result. As always I met old friends, made new friends, and had a great experience. I think that is what airsoft is all about, and MilSim is simply an extension of this. Serious is good, and I am as competitive as anyone. I love to win, but I also believe the camaraderie is a huge part of the event – and that can be with your opposition as much as your own team. So do yourself a favour and attend an event like this, even if you only do it once.
www.airsoftactionmagazine.com
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KIT BAG | EYE PRO
The Airsoft Action team rounds up a host of top eye pro options on the market ASG PROTECTIVE GLASSES
TMC HLY GOGGLE
These glasses from ASG have a well-constructed, wraparound
This option from TMC
design that offers comfortable protection and unhindered
is a popular choice
peripheral vision, so you can make sure you’re fully aware
on the skirmish field,
of what’s going on around you on the skirmish field. They
sold through well-known
feature tight-fitting temple arms with strong hinges, ensuring
retailer RedWolf Airsoft.
the glasses stay securely on while you’re moving about.
Available in grey, khaki and
The glasses come with a range of different-coloured lenses,
black, the frame is nice and
including yellow, which enhances contrast and lets you see the
lightweight, meaning
target clearly. The polycarbonate, scratch-resistant lenses offer
this eyewear is
protection up to ANSI Z87.1 high impact requirements, while
not obtrusive or
they are also EN166 certified.
uncomfortable to wear,
FROM: Airsoft Zone WEB: www.airsoftzone.co.uk PRICE: £7.99
while the lenses offer plenty of protection from flying BBs.
FROM: RedWolf Airsoft WEB: www. redwolfairsoft.com PRICE: £7.80
BOLLE X800 GOGGLES
BOLLE SILIUM
WILEY-X SABER
These goggles from renowned French
SAFETY GLASSES
ADVANCED CLEAR LENS
These glasses feature a sport-style
Wiley-X’s Saber Advanced have
frame, with a sleek look rounded
a tactical, pocket-size, low-profile
off by rubber tips, self-adjusting
design. But their utility doesn’t
spring temples and soft, adjustable
stop with convenience; the Saber
nose pads. This design affords nicely
Advanced glasses also offer 3mm
panoramic vision, while providing the
shatter-proof selenite polycarbonate
wearer with protection courtesy of the
lenses, which are interchangeable, and
anti-scratch, polycarbonate lenses.
feature a scratch-resistant T-shell hard
The Silium glasses also offer 100
coat. A foam brow-bar prevents debris
per cent UV protection and anti-mist
and sweat from entering the user’s
technology.
eyes. The glasses also comply with
FROM: Pro Airsoft Supplies WEB: www.proairsoftsupplies.co.uk PRICE: £7.99
ANSI Z87.1 high impact and optical
eye-safety brand Bollé are compatible with all types of helmet. The lenses are constructed from 3mm, anti-scratch polycarbonate, providing excellent protection against fragmenting BBs and high-speed projectiles – and they also offer a panoramic view. The X800 goggles are ventilated below the seal, making them comfortable to wear in all conditions, while their interior anti-fog technology and lightweight profile make them a solid choice on the skirmish field.
FROM: Pro Airsoft Supplies WEB: www.proairsoftsupplies.co.uk PRICE: £48.99
performance standards.
FROM: Military 1st WEB: www.military1st.co.uk PRICE: £33.99
www.airsoftactionmagazine.com
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Dan Mills documents his experiences as he heads out to Afghanistan to begin life as a close protection officer
LIFE AFTER O
n Sunday 1 August 2010 I left the lovely mountains and drove into London. I wondered when I would see the lovely green rolling landscape again. I was going to the head office of my new employer, my first job since leaving the British Army in May after 24 years’ service to the colours. I became a close protection officer after attending a qualification course in April and was bound for the hostile environment of Afghanistan. I was expecting to fly to Kabul that very day. When I would return, I did not know. At check-in I was upgraded to club class as they’d oversold the economy tickets. I enjoyed a nice glass of champers with my
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dinner, watched a movie, then got my head down. I transferred from British Airways to Safi Air at Dubai, then onto Kabul. The last time I flew to Afghanistan was operational: I arrived at Kandahar airport after a tactical landing, another way of saying the pilot had to throw the aircraft around in order to avoid being shot down. This time around, the civilian pilot banked hard to avoid the mountainous bowl that Kabul sits in and made a nice soft landing. I’d arrived early doors and it was hot. After collecting my bags, I was met by a local fixer for the company. He rounded up any staff heading in the same direction and handed us over to the close
protection teams; we jumped into a number of armoured jeeps and sped off down the Jalalabad road towards headquarters. This airport protection run would become set in my mind. I would soon be making the journey myself. From 4-8 August my time was spent on the company induction course, learning operation basics, advanced driving in a B6 armoured Land Rover, medical skills, weapons training and various company policies. Training finished at 16.00 on Sunday evening. At five past I was collected and bundled off into the city to ‘brick house’, the safe house that was to become my home for the duration of my contract.
FEATURE DEBATE | LIFE AFTER DEMOB Author Dan Mills in the Kabul desert
DEMOB Troops have begun withdrawing from Afghanistan
The first month flew by. There were some major adjustments, mainly the realisation that I no longer had a big support team looking after me in good times and bad. I woke up to this fact when I found myself cutting about Kabul city with just one other, protecting our clients. ‘Who is going to look after me when things go wrong?’ I asked myself. That was a rather sobering thought as I passed through the spot on the Jalalabad road where a British soldier had been killed by a roadside bomb not 18 months previously. With a diary full of dates and appointments the time flew by. We visited prisons that you would not want to end up in, old forts, Russian tank graveyards, tombs, and the ‘city of screams’, so called after Genghis Khan killed everything that moved. On 10 August a private security company safe house was attacked in Kabul, making the evening news back home. Two Afghan men were killed along with the two insurgents who carried out the attack. The well-publicised killing of Doctor Karen Woo and her colleagues had happened four days previously, a tragic waste of someone who dedicated her life to helping others. One of my main tasks is to provide protection for clients out in the field doing follow up visits to check on infrastructure rebuilding progress. The news shows many instances of these remote places coming under attack from insurgents; thankfully I was nowhere near them at the time. As I wrote this, my thoughts turned back to Iraq and old battlegrounds out there. I thought about the US decision to go ‘noncombat’. Good luck with that.
www.airsoftactionmagazine.com
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PATRICK’S WAR In part one of a two-part series, Dan Mills, author of the best-selling Sniper One, writes about Rifleman Patrick Devlin, one of WWII’s unsung heroes
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lmost two years after the capitulation of Poland, with WWII spanning its third calendar year, a young 17-year-old left Galway in neutral Ireland in great haste. He crossed the border into the Northern counties and on 1 July 1941 promptly volunteered to fight against the Germans. Worried that the big adventure would pass him by, Patrick Devlin lied about his age, stating that he was 20 years old. Freshly enlisted, 6410458 Private P. Devlin was sent to England. This was the start of a big adventure, one that would take the young man from basic training in England to The Normandy
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Bridgehead during Operation Overlord and the break-out and push through France. He would ultimately be wounded in action after the Rhine Crossing landings. Paddy Devlin was not alone. Many of his Irish peers found their way to England and uniformed service. Some line regiments were Irish heavy, with so many fights breaking out that a disgruntled Monty split them up and sent them throughout the infantry in small numbers as punishment. Devlin’s first regiment, The 8th Battalion The Queen’s (Royal Sussex) Regiment, was in Colchester. After a spectacular fight against the Canadians in town, Monty broke up
the Battalion: Devlin was sent to The 11th Battalion The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment. During build-up training to D-Day Devlin volunteered for a brand new airborne regiment being formed of Irish volunteers. The Irish Parachute Battalion had been set to play a major part in the coming invasion campaign, but it wasn’t to be. Having gathered their volunteers together the ‘top brass’ had a re-think. Reluctant to repeat the disaster of putting all the Irish back in the same basket, they were instead scattered throughout the other airborne brigades. Rifleman Patrick ‘Paddy’ Devlin found himself
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FEATURE | WWII HISTORY
in 18 Platoon C Company of The 1st Battalion The Royal Ulster Rifles, part of The 6th Airborne Division led by Major General Richard Gale and destined for the Normandy Landings. By this time Devlin had become a battalion scout/sniper. After the end of the Great War, sniper training and establishment had disappeared from the orbit of most units. Little progress had been made in the years between and, for a nation still reeling from the cost of the First World War, it was considered a low priority. When war broke out once more, sniper rifles were in short supply, and any old First World War rifles that had not been sold off or placed in service elsewhere were re-issued. In the early days urgent
requests were made for snipers, leading to a small training school being set up in France, and a later one in Hythe. Even after the Dunkirk debacle a negative attitude was taken towards this much-needed skill. By the time of the Normandy landings, however, things had changed: the British Army sniper was well equipped, trained and classed as a specialist. The typical kit and equipment carried by such soldiers on the eve of Overlord was (in Devlin’s own words): “The .303in British Enfield rifle, telescope No 32, GS watch, Denison smock, face veil, binoculars, compass prismatic Mk3, x2 No 36 (Mills) grenades, bandolier of 50 rounds, water bottle, x5 rounds Tracer, x5 rounds AP and emergency rations.” A war establishment for infantry battalions was set during 1942 at eight snipers, one sergeant, one corporal, two lance corporals and four privates. The specialist units were allocated even larger establishments: 32 snipers for a parachute battalion and 38 snipers for air landing. After Normandy a sniper school was again set up in France, holding courses for instructors to be trained. These newly qualified trainers then went back to their respective units to run basic level and continuation courses for the snipers of each battalion. In 1942, replacing the WWI SMLE (Short Magazine Lee Enfield), the sniper rifle of choice was the Rifle No.4, Mk 1 (T). Again it was bolt-action, fitted with a 10-round magazine and a 3x power telescopic sight (No. 32), plus an iron sight. The sniper rifles were selected from the standard factory production line, picked as superior from the batch. They were then stripped down and rebuilt with a new stock and a wooden cheekpiece fitted. At this stage standard issue ammunition was issued. Like many others during the build-up, Rifleman Devlin found himself in one of the little barbed wire transit camps popping up all over England. These camps were all part of the operational security, the barbed wire there not only to keep out the unwanted, but to keep the operationally briefed troops in. Here the battalion was fully informed of its D-Day mission, and what was expected from each and every man. After the brief a ‘special’ pay parade was held; with the Officer Commanding sat behind a table, each man was given 200 francs along with the offer of three condoms. Devlin said: “I thought we were going to fight the Germans, sir? Not to breed.” After his initial refusal Patrick was persuaded by the CQMS to take them, if only to give them away afterwards.
This article contains extracts from The Sniper Anthology: Snipers of the Second World War, available via Amazon or Pen and Sword books.
On the eve of June 6, 24,000 airborne soldiers at 22 airfields across England boarded 1,200 transport planes and 700 gliders. The 1st battalion of the Royal Ulster Rifles boarded their Horsa Gliders – every platoon had been earmarked one each. Devlin, with his Enfield .303 cradled in his arms and his face blackened, climbed aboard and picked a seat portside by a window. This way he could keep his eye on the exit door. During take-off, however, the towing aircraft belly dived and released the towrope; 18 Platoon came to a standstill on the runway before being towed away by a tractor! It was thus that Patrick Devlin came to be in the very last Horsa Glider to take off for the air landing operation…
NEXT TIME Watch out for part two in the next issue of Airsoft Action, where Patrick’s journey continues…
www.airsoftactionmagazine.com
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KIT BAG | YDS BOOTS
S
We get to grip with the Odin GTX boots from military footwear manufacturer YDS
INFORMATION & PRICE YDS Odin GTX Boots
SIZES: 3-13 SUPPLIER: Patrol Store WEB: www.patrolstore.com TEL: 01737 648438 PRICE: £140 (reduced from £176) Thanks to Goliath Footwear for supplying the test sample
electing the right footwear for airsoft can be a trickier business than you’d imagine. New players sometimes feel that a scruffy old pair of trainers will do, but no matter what kind of game you’re playing, boots are a must. For newbies, a sturdy set of workman’s boots, picked up fairly cheap, will suffice, but players who enjoy the military aspect of the game will soon look to move onto more ‘professional’ attire. While realism is a major concern, other key things to look out for are heel support, insulation, and waterproofing. Military footwear manufacturer YDS has a range of products ideally suited for airsoft purposes – and a pair of their Odin GTX boots recently landed at the Airsoft Action office, enticing us to take them out for a spin. Admittedly, with it being the height of summer, the boots perhaps didn’t get pushed to their full potential weather-wise, as the ground we tested them on was bone dry – but their sweatresisting, insulation credentials were pushed to the limit. Straight out of the box it’s clear that these are heavy duty, serious boots built to do a job. But despite our test pair being a hefty size 12, they didn’t feel overly heavy, and it seems YDS has built the Odin GTX boots as ergonomically as possible, without losing out on protection. The vast majority of the outer portion of the boots is black 2.2-2.4mm S3 leather, with some Cordura panelling on the sides and top to allow you to slip them on comfortably. The interior lining, meanwhile, is GoreTex in a grey – or ‘light rock’ – colour. The in-sole is made from lightweight, shock-absorbing, dual-density polymer and rubber – and it’s also anti-bacterial and machine-washable, which you’ll be glad of after a few long sessions outdoors! The outer soles are reassuringly chunky and hardwearing, using a Vibram high-abrasion and slip-resistant system. Whether you’re carefully treading concrete floors in a tense CQB game or treading through puddles and thick mud, Vibram soles are up to the job. Lacing-up is nice and easy, courtesy of 16, well-spaced metal eyelets from just above the toe area, right to the top of the boot. A central, fabric lace-loop on the tongue allows for quick-lacing should you need to get the boots off and on speedily. The Gore-Tex interior lining here works well. It is breathable and prevents excessive sweat build up – and the boots are refreshingly comfortable straight out of the box, meaning you needn’t worry too much about wearing super thick socks to prevent chafing. We’d be interested to see how the breathable lining fares in winter conditions. Though it’s certainly good at keeping the heat out, it might not be as well suited to freezing temperatures, but the jury’s still out on that one. The YDS Odin GTX boots are a superb option for airsofters wanting to achieve military or police-style realism, while offering a great deal of protection and support. The price tag seems hefty at first glance, but boots like this offer a longevity that should ensure you won’t have to splash out any more on your footwear for a good few years. YDS has come up with the goods, and we look forward to wearing these on more of our future skirmishes.
www.airsoftactionmagazine.com
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FEATURE | INTRO TO SNIPING
GOING SOLO: PART ONE
The job of the airsoft sniper is tough but highly-coveted. Kris Roberts takes a look at how you can break away from the pack
I
crouched among the defenders, frantically taking pictures and doing my best to stay out of the line of fire. The attackers were coming in force, laying down a barrage of covering fire as they tried to advance, but it had little effect. The defenders had organised themselves well, ensuring they had excellent cover and overlapping fields of fire. Secure in their position, whatever the attackers threw at them was checked with ease. It was then that it happened. A defender near the edge of the perimeter looked carefully into the darkened woods. What he saw made him turn in alarm and bellow a warning to his teammates: “Sniper!”
In an instant the defence fell apart. Instinctively all of the defenders ducked beneath cover, and the defensive fire died on the spot. I stood in amazement. Without a single shot being fired the capabilities of an entire team crumbled before my eyes. Had the attackers taken the initiative, they could have used this moment of collective panic to move in and overwhelm the defenders. In this case they didn’t, and the defenders quickly regained their nerve and the battle continued. The moment wasn’t lost on me though. It was impressive to witness such a huge reaction to what was simply the presence of an individual player. Was it justified? Was it a
total overreaction? In truth, what could one player and his rifle actually achieve on the skirmish field?
The Hunting of Man Engaging our targets at long range and picking them off with a single accurate shot has an undeniable appeal. It’s an attraction that is often picked up on by books and films, and I feel pretty confident in saying that the majority of airsofters have watched a sniper at work and thought they might fancy having a go at it. But what is the reality of airsoft sniping? Snipers in airsoft are considered to be players who can provide accurate fire at
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maximum range, and can most commonly be found using a single-action rifle. As with all things in our beloved sport, this is not always the case, as individual playing styles can provide a wide variation in kit and weapon choices, but the generalisation is fair nonetheless. I have always felt that, with regards to airsoft, there are two categories of sniper. One is the airsoft marksman; the other is the airsoft stalker.
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The airsoft marksman plays in regular kit, making little to no effort to enhance their personal camouflage beyond the pattern of their BDUs. They play among teammates, but differ from them in their choice of primary weapon. Armed with either a bolt-action rifle or semi automatic AEG, they openly use their presence on the field to intimidate the opposition and are actively involved in fire-fights. They are free to move within the
protection of their comrades and can use this to play aggressively. The airsoft stalker plays a different game entirely. Using camouflage and stealth they place as much importance on not being seen as they do on hitting their targets. Often operating alone or in pairs, they carefully choose when to engage the enemy, and when to lay low. Whereas the marksman would have no issue firing off a few rounds before getting a hit, the stalker would give greater consideration to the elements around them, taking the time to ensure that one shot equals one hit on target. Their intimidation factor comes from their anonymity. So, these are quite different styles of play, but both are quite effective at dishing out apprehension and fear to the enemy. But neither come without their disadvantages. Rifles that have a power output of over 350fps often find themselves limited to engaging at a minimum distance of 20m, sometimes even more. This forces the
FEATURE | INTRO TO SNIPING
Getting Involved
sniper to carry either a lesser-powered back up, or accept the possibility of retreat. You could, of course, use a low powered rifle with an output of less than 350fps, and effectively eliminate the problem of minimum engagement. But for many, the appeal that comes from the speed and power of a round fired by a 450fps rifle is decisive. This is a personal choice and one that, when considering your options, you should give serious thought to. I have personally seen players in full ghillie suits stalking the enemy using only a pistol – and very effective they were too. Another consideration should be that, regardless of power, once the sniper is within range of enemy AEGs he is massively outgunned. No amount of skill can save you once several hundred BBs are thundering their way towards you. So, why bother? Simply put, pulling off a tricky shot on a distant target and getting away with it is quite possibly the greatest buzz you can find in airsoft.
Enough temptation, it’s time to take the plunge. So, what’s the first item on the list of things you need to become an airsoft sniper? Firstly, and most importantly, is the right mindset. Do not for one second underestimate the importance of this. You must be willing to accept the limitations that come from being a sniper. If you are a regular player, you must understand that many of your habits will need to be dropped, and a whole new set of skills must be nurtured and developed. If you have the patience to see this through then you can enjoy the rewards. If not, then you need to reconsider whether or not to continue. Secondly is the rifle. There are plenty of options out there to suit all players, so take the time and do your homework. Make sure that your rifle is one that you want; after all you will be the one who has to live with it and love it. Ask yourself: what are your priorities? Range, accuracy, power, or stealth? There will always be people ready to argue about what it takes, or what is needed, to be a sniper. Opinions and advice from those with experience is always worth noting, but there will always be those who actively preach their two cents, often without any experience to back up what they say. Remember, airsoft is supposed to be fun. There’s no point in getting kit you don’t want just because someone else said that you should. Keep yourself happy by prioritising your own opinions.
Breaking Away From the Pack After 13 years playing airsoft, and 13 years of wanting to be an airsoft sniper, I finally got my
hands on my first sniper rifle. I was lucky in that I managed to swap one of my AEGs for a friend’s bolt-action rifle – a Mauser L96 in black. I wanted to go with a L96 platform, so the convenience of the trade made my choice very easy. At 445fps, it fires at the maximum limit for my local sites. With the enforced minimum engagement distances I needed a back-up, so I naturally turned to my Tokyo Marui Socom MK23, a non-blowback silenced pistol that would help maintain stealth while providing me with close quarters protection. So that was me set. I didn’t see the need in investing any more money at that point, as I still didn’t know if sniping was for me. Using my standard uniform of MultiCam and olive green, I was fully set for playing as an airsoft marksman. This would give me a feel for the rifle, and more importantly an awareness of the benefits and limitations of my weapons. As a player who has happily used high-caps and AEGs for years, the prospect of going into a game with only one magazine each for my rifle and pistol was a daunting one. A new challenge then, and one I was very much excited by – something I’ll look at in more depth next time…
NEXT MONTH In next month’s issue I’ll talk about my first sniping experience, and the lessons learnt from that initial outing. I’ll also experiment with BB weights and camouflage, and attend my first game in the role of stalker.
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FOR YOUR EYES ONLY Ophthalmic optician and keen airsofter Andy Bourne explains the necessity for adequate eye protection on the skirmish field – and the risk of injury that a flying BB poses
V
ision is a sense that we generally take for granted. Most of us only ever think about our sight when something is not quite right about it – and normally we just get on with seeing, day in, day out. Yet our eyes are complex, highly specialised organs that give us so much information about our environment. Indeed, 85 per cent of the information our brains receive comes from our eyes. In a military setting, the force that sights the enemy first has a tactical advantage. Scouting and intelligence assets are geared to this task, and although technology has a great role to play, the ‘Mk. 1 Eyeball’ is still the crucial component. Concealment from sight is, of course, paramount in both military and airsoft manoeuvres – and since the birth of modern camouflage during the 19th century, a great deal of thought has gone into this subtle art. Clear, unobstructed vision is therefore essential on the battlefield and skirmish site, as is protecting the eyes from injury. The first significant military trials in protective eyewear were conducted by the US government in the 1960s to assess the resistant performance of various materials. As a consequence of these studies,
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polycarbonate became the material of choice for ballistic eye protection. It is very tough, and distorts instead of cracking. Over the past 20 years eye protection has become a constituent of personal protection in tactical operations – which is extremely fortunate for airsofters. We can benefit from significant research and development into eye protection, which provides us with relatively cheap, yet highly effective methods to protect our eyes from the hazards of the skirmish field. Explanations of eye protection in safety briefs usually figure quite strongly, and for good reason. It doesn’t take a great deal of imagination to consider the problems that can be caused by airsoft-related injury.
the socket and the eye is left sitting lower on the injured side. This causes significant double vision and can be difficult to fix. The force of a blunt injury can also damage structures within the eye, tearing delicate tissues and causing long-term
Hazards on the Skirmish Field The most obvious threat to our vision on the skirmish field is ‘blunt trauma’, whereby a blunt object like a BB strikes the globe of the eye. More severe cases can cause the eyeball to rupture, and also what is known as a ‘blow out’ fracture. This injury is often seen in squash players. When it hits the eye, the squash ball can fit nicely into the bony socket that holds the eye. The impact often breaks the fragile bone on the floor of
ANDY BOURNE Andy Bourne is an ophthalmic optician, former reserve forces officer, and keen MilSim airsofter. He is associate optometrist with the Vision Surgery & Research Centre, UK, and currently divides his time between hospital, general practice and airsoft. He is a terrible gear addict.
SKILLS FEATUREROOM | EYE| GUN PROTECTION SAFETY
Eye injuries from blunt objects, such as BBs, can be severe
“The most obvious threat to our vision on the skirmish field is ‘blunt trauma’, whereby a blunt object like a BB strikes the globe of the eye” damage. The coloured part of the eye, the iris, is easily damaged where it attaches to the white of the eye, requiring intricate surgery to repair. Penetrating trauma is more serious. In this, a foreign body enters the eyeball, which is then vulnerable to dirt and bacteria. Infection could result in blindness in the affected eye. Of course, although BBs move relatively quickly, they are very light, and impart a relatively small amount of energy. We can work out, using the accepted maximum fps limit for an AEG of 370fps, that a 0.2g BB would have 1.27 joules (J) of kinetic energy. This is about the same energy that is released by a burning matchstick. It doesn’t sound much, but a burn from a matchstick still
hurts! A 500fps sniper rifle using a 0.2g BB would have 2.34J of energy. Easily enough to cause significant eye injury. After all, many of us have come home from the skirmish field with attractive red weals on the face from BB hits. Strikes have been known to break teeth, so a relatively soft eyeball will not put up a lot of resistance. But BB strikes are not the only hazard. Most skirmish sites allow the use of pyrotechnic devices to simulate grenades, as well as ‘distraction devices’ such as flash-bangs and blank-firing devices. These all pose a threat to eye health, due to the significant amount of energy released as noise, heat and fastmoving particles. The British Army enforces a 50m safety range for blank rounds unless a
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FEATURE | EYE PROTECTION blank-firing adaptor or similar muzzle guard is fitted to rifles. Those of us who have seen a blank-firing demonstration will recall the damage that pyrotechnic effects can cause. So the ideal protection for the eyes must have several properties. It must allow clear vision with as little interference as possible. It must be comfortable to wear, and relatively unobtrusive. It should not interfere with the use of other equipment. It needs to provide maximum protection against traumatic incidents, fast-moving particles, and high-energy fragments. Also desirable is a high degree of resistance to fogging. Fogging is a fact of life for optical lenses. There is no magic cure for it. It is a variable problem, and it depends on several factors: ambient temperature, humidity, how close-fitting the eye shield is, air circulation, how clean the lens is, and how heavily the wearer is sweating. In order to keep your eye protection as fog free as possible, I advise you to use an anti-fog lens treatment in conjunction with a good quality microfiber lens cloth. The hem or sleeve of your top is not good enough. A thin film of dirt and contamination on a lens is what allows microscopic moisture particles to bind to it. A clean lens is much more resistant to fogging than a dirty one. Some players use mesh goggles and point to the fog-free system as a major advantage. And indeed it is. To my mind, however, there is one obvious flaw in mesh protection: the protection offered is dependent on the mesh aperture size. Particles will always get through a mesh visor. Now I’m aware that there is a great deal of debate on this matter, and that it is a contentious issue. However, BBs will fragment on impact, without doubt. And the fragment size is variable depending
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BBs fragment on impact, posing a risk to eye safety
EN 166 CATEGORY
TEST STANDARD
KINETIC ENERGY
S
22mm 4.3g steel ball, speed of 12m/s
0.3J
F
6mm 0.86g steel ball, speed of 45m/s
0.87J
B
6mm 0.86g steel ball, speed of 120 m/s
6.1J
A
6mm 0.86g steel ball, speed of 190m/s
15.5J
on the build material and velocity. There is always a risk of fragments passing through a mesh goggle.
Standards in Eye Protection Modern eye protection has standards that allow the end user to understand the protective properties. For airsoft as well as military users, the relevant standards are EN166 Personal Eye Protection:
Specifications for the EU, and ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Z87.1 for the United States. These two standards set out the manner in which the lenses are tested and passed. They’re worth a closer look. EN166 has four categories of impact resistance, and one of the following symbols will be marked usually on the lens: S (increased robustness), F (low energy impact), B (medium energy impact) and A (high energy impact). The testing is carried out by firing a specific steel ball at the lens at a particular velocity. The standards are shown in the table to the right, together with a calculation of the kinetic energy applied to the lens by each test. Rather than get bogged down in the physics, it is interesting to make a comparison with the kinetic energy of BBs as mentioned earlier. Our 1J notional threshold for AEGs is joules of energy at the muzzle. This reduces as the BB travels, but in a CQB environment engagement distances are close. So in this instance we can see that even EN166 standards S and F do not grant enough protection. A sobering thought for those who think that their DIY shop glasses will ‘do the job’.
SKILLS ROOM | GUN SAFETY
ANSI Z87.1 has recently changed from a ‘basic’ and ‘enhanced’ standard of impact protection to a single standard. The test is in two forms. Firstly, a high mass impact test, which requires that the lens be hit by a 500g metal spike dropped from a height of 1.3m. To pass the test, no frame parts or lens fragments that could damage the eye may be ejected during impact. Secondly, there is the high velocity impact test where a 6.4mm steel ball is fired at the lens at a velocity of 46m/s (150fps) with a kinetic energy of 1.1J. So to pass a notional 1J limit, the Z87.1 standard is comparable to EN166 B and A. Military eye protection is ideal for airsofting. There is the obvious parallel in needs, and ability to fit with helmets and other tactical equipment. In general use, there is really no closer comparison to airsoft needs than in tactical military eyewear. The impact standards of such eyewear are much higher than that necessary on the skirmish field, designed to stand up to close-range high-energy damage.
Laser Safety Laser safety is becoming more relevant to airsoft as more players invest in visible, and to a lesser extent, infra-red laser devices. Lasers can be hazardous and are classified according to the potential hazard to sight. The vast majority of airsoft lasers on the market will fall into the ‘class 2’ category – safe for accidental exposure – and therefore pose little risk unless staring into the beam deliberately for prolonged periods. But some devices on the market are of a surprisingly high output power – and there is an additional risk when looking at the laser through a magnifying sight. Some of these items are inaccurately labelled with reference to laser class. The Insight AN/PEQ2, for example, carries an infra-red laser that is switchable between low and high power. In high power, the unit is a class 3B laser and is therefore hazardous.
Summary Your vision is a very precious asset, and not one that is easily replaced. Often, airsoft players sport a wide range of eye protection, some good, some less so. Take a look at your choice in eye protection and ask yourself whether it is up to the challenge. Is it the best you can get for your eyes? We generally spend a great deal of our hard earned cash on our kit; airsofting isn’t generally a cheap hobby. You only have one pair of eyes, so give them the best protection that you can.
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COLD WAR WARRIOR | US SPECIAL FORCES ADVISOR
special forces: vietnam Gareth ‘Gadge’ Harvey looks at the loadout of the US Special Forces Advisor, seen in south Vietnam circa 1968
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he Second World War saw the birth of Special Forces units, but it was not until the years of the Cold War that these elite troops would truly make a name for themselves. Tensions in Vietnam in the 1960s left the world believing that the Cold War was about to go hot, as the communist north fought an intense war against the democratic south. With US forces at first reluctant to commit to a full-on war it was essential to win over the hearts and minds of the south, and to train its people to fight the communists on an equal footing. As part of the US Army’s limited war strategy in the early days of the Vietnam War, thousands of military advisors from the US Army’s Special Forces were deployed to South-East Asia to assist both regular units of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and local village militias known as Civilian Irregular Defence Groups or CIDG (pronounced ‘sidgee’). US Special Forces were formed in the aftermath of WWII, but were initially unpopular with the high command. Many senior generals were inherently suspicious of ‘elite private armies’ and, more importantly, felt that Special Forces drained army units of talented men who would otherwise be outstanding officers and NCOs in the regular formations. However, in the 1960s President Kennedy took a specific interest in the Special Forces and, under his patronage, their strength grew from a few hundred in the 1950s to thousands of highly trained men by the 1970s. Initially, Special Forces soldiers in Vietnam were directed by the US Central
The advisor brandishes his Colt .45
Intelligence Agency (CIA) and concentrated on training villagers in the immediate defence of their own homes in an attempt to raise paramilitary forces that could equal the locally-raised ‘Viet Cong’ guerrilla units. But after a while control was handed over to the army’s Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV), and more offensive operations and border patrols conducted by irregular forces were led by members of the US Army’s 5th Special Forces Group.
Many of the best of these local volunteers were recruited into the Mobile Strike Force Command programme or MIKE Force. MIKE Force units largely consisted of Vietnamese minorities, ethnic Chinese and Montagnard hill tribesmen led by US and Australian SF soldiers and were employed as a ‘quick reaction force’ throughout South Vietnam. MIKE Force missions would frequently involve the recapture or re-enforcement of US SF or CIDG camps that had been overrun or captured (or were about to be) by
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communist forces. The local knowledge of the civilian irregulars was put to great use by MIKE force teams, conducting lengthy reconnaissance patrols and assisting more conventional forces in locating and rescuing downed pilots. Under the expert guidance of their US advisors MIKE Force teams were able to take a great deal of pressure from US Army units by marking airstrips and drop zones, discovering enemy supply trails and calling in airstrikes on Viet Cong units they discovered – tasks that would otherwise have been the job of US SF and Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) units. In the early 1970s the US army withdrew much of its support from CIDG and MIKE Force units after making attempts to train the irregular forces and ARVN regular units to use US equipment and call in for required radio support on their own. Many US SF advisors felt that the ARVN and CIDG forces were not ready for this break off of support (largely caused by the slide in public opinion in the US for the Vietnam War) and were regrettably proved right as the effectiveness of irregular units took a nosedive. US Special Forces personnel, or ‘green berets’, undergo rigorous selection and successful applicants are required to be US citizens with a high school qualification and above average scores in army physical and mental aptitude tests. Furthermore, a green beret is required to have completed the arduous airborne training course and be no older than 30 years of age. As with the members of the British SAS, US SF soldiers undertake a specialist skill as part of their training, such as signals or demolitions, and nearly all learn at least one foreign language.
A basic Special Forces unit in Vietnam was known as an A Team (yes, just like the TV show) and consisted of two officers and 10 enlisted men. As well as the aforementioned airborne training and specialisation in either weapons, communications, combat medicine, intelligence or engineering, all men were extensively trained in escape and evasion, counter insurgency warfare, and navigation. Our Cold War Warrior this month represents a typical A Team officer tasked with training CIDG or MIKE Force troops to resist the Viet Cong. In this example he is wearing the sort of clothing and equipment he would be seen in while doing his daily duties in a remote Special Forces camp, rather than equipped for a long-range jungle mission. Most notable is the ‘tiger stripe’ set of combat fatigues. While most US soldiers in Vietnam wore the standard olive drab jungle fatigues, SF Advisors wore the uniforms and insignia of the local forces they were working with, partly to blend in and partly to gain the confidence and trust of their allies. The tiger stripe uniform was initially worn by south Vietnamese marines, and later by ARVN ranger units (as well as being supplied to CIDG formations), and was the most popular design for advisors to equip themselves with. Existing supplies of tiger stripe uniforms were usually far too small for larger-framed Americans, and it was not uncommon for SF personnel to have their own fatigues made up locally by South-East Asian tailors. Uniforms worn in the field, and in particular the jungle, were notoriously fragile and would sometimes last less than a fortnight in the damp and
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humidity of Vietnam. For this reason many soldiers opted to leave sewing insignia onto their uniforms, and reserved their formations patches and the like for the uniforms they would wear on leave in Saigon and other more ‘civilised’ postings. As mentioned, tiger stripe fatigues came in an array of patterns and designs. The diversity of local manufacturers meant that there were often many different styles in service, but the classic broad black stripes on The iconic tiger-stripe uniform, show here in the classic black on green and beige
COLD WAR WARRIOR | US SPECIAL FORCES ADVISOR a green and beige background soon became synonymous with elite units in Vietnam. Equally ‘classic’ are our advisor’s jungle boots. A well designed combat boot for hot and wet environments featuring a rubber sole (with aluminium re-enforcing plates to prevent injury from treading on sharpened bamboo ‘punji stake’ booby traps), leather toe and heel, and hardwearing webbing ankle support. These boots would normally be worn in the field with the trousers
bloused to prevent leaches and other parasites accessing the skin, but in the safety of an SF base the trousers were often turned up above the boots to aid ventilation. Webbing is a complete contrast to the massive amount of supplies that would be carried on a recce mission and it is simply enough for the advisor to carry the ammunition for his Colt .45 service automatic. The belt and ammunition pouch are part of the venerable M56 webbing system that would see service in one form or another with the US army for decades. The pistol itself is carried in a shoulder holster of WWII vintage, partly to aid quick access and partly as an element of Special Forces élan. Completing our advisor’s uniform is the renowned green beret of the Special Forces. Above the left eye of the beret is the SF group crest (here the 5th SF Group) and upon the crest would be the trademark cap-badge of the Special Forces of a pair of crossed arrow and the motto ‘de opresso liber’ (to liberate the oppressed). Here, however, as our soldier is a captain, he wears subdued rank insignia over the group crest. Many SF personnel wore the headdress of the AVRN
units they were supporting and scarlet ARVN rangers’ berets were not uncommon, as were the tiger stripe pattern bush hats and berets seen here as optional headdress. Special Forces units were, despite their high level of training, often at the bottom of the pile when it came to the weapons and equipment available to train their CIDG and ARVN counterparts. Older US weapons such as the M1 carbine, M1 Garand and M1A1 Thompson were commonly seen with irregular forces, with the M1 carbine being particularly suited to the small-statured Vietnamese. Many US SF personnel opted to carry the AK-47 on recon missions as it was less likely to betray their origin if they were forced to fire a shot, as Viet Cong and NVA troops would believe it was fire from a nearby communist unit. Vietnam loadouts are becoming increasingly popular on the skirmish field, and US ones in particular. The popularity of films like The Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now have only helped to increase the ‘cool factor’ of tiger-stripe-clad Special Forces, and it’s safe to say that this Cold War Warrior loadout is far from unusual. If you want a Vietnam loadout that gives you a little more leeway in equipment and choice of AEG, this is probably the one for you!
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23/07/2013 17:09
SKILLS ROOM | BILLY BASICS
sensible soldiers This month, Billy Basics looks at the how we can use the senses to improve our awareness, in life and in-game…
W
e are born with five senses that our bodies use to navigate through our environment: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. But we don’t really use our senses to their full potential much anymore. We’re gradually losing the skills that we were born with, and that our ancestors used to survive. In this issue I’m going to explore them, and see how we can bring these fabulous internal tools back into use in order to improve our airsofting and our daily lives. Outside of the military or certain martial arts nowadays, little or no emphasis is placed on training of the senses, and I’d like to try to redress that – so let’s look at each one in turn.
Touch I was recently in Germany and happened to have a free afternoon, so instead of hitting the hotel bar like my colleagues, I went for a walk in the local park. I found a large area of neatly arranged rectangles with between 15 and 20 different surfaces. At the start of the area, I was instructed to remove my shoes and
socks, and to walk across the surfaces slowly and feel their texture with my bare feet. This would encourage the immune system in my body, I was told. I remember thinking that our feet are a mass of nerve endings. It’s where they all begin and travel up our bodies. It’s only modern convention that insists we walk around with our feet bound in woollen socks and leather shoes preventing us from experiencing our surroundings through touch. Running your fingers along surfaces, feeling their firmness and texture as you walk by them – brick walls, tree bark, tabletops – won’t make you into Jason Bourne overnight. What it will do is put you in touch with your surroundings on a basic level. Over time you’ll build up a database of feelings and experiences that your other senses can then cross reference to make sense of your surroundings.
Sight Whenever we have anything wrong with our eyes we go straight to the optician or put our
glasses back on, but have you ever considered that you can actually train your eyes to be better? Is reading in the dark bad for us, or is it just an old wives’ tale? I don’t know – but I will bet that you can. Why not dedicate one day a week to each of your senses? When you wake in the morning, before you open your eyes for the first time, tell yourself that while you go about your day you’re going to think and concentrate on your sight. Notice colours and shades, try and judge distances, scan crowds for familiar faces, there are loads of sight exercises you could think up and try. I think of this the same way doctors tell you that you have to go to hospital when you’re ill, when all around us medicine grows naturally in plants – it’s just that we’ve forgotten how to access it.
Sound Our ears these days are bombarded with sounds all day long, from being told to ‘mind the gap’ to the barrage of music coming out of speakers in public places. But don’t just give into it; our ears are really fine-tuned
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instruments that are now no longer tuned. To tune them again, decide before you open your eyes that today you’ll concentrate on your hearing. Keep your eyes closed and slowly start to pick out the noises around you: your partner breathing next to you, a neighbour putting out the bin, an aircraft taking off from a local airfield.
Smell Dogs have an incredible sense of smell, because it is what they use to make sense of the world around them. They urinate on bushes to mark territory, and in that urine is information about them that other dogs read. We use smell to sniff wine and our co-worker’s BO as far as I can make out, and that’s about it. Even then we don’t really know what we’re
smelling, but we can tell a lot from this sense. I was on a survival exercise a few years ago in which we had been in the field for over a week. It was cold and miserable, but I found that my senses were really heightened. Why? Because I was not surrounded by the normal distractions. In the jungle you can smell distant deodorant and cigarette smoke. I was lying in the grass next to my running mate and we both noticed something that made us start at exactly the same time. To this day I can’t put my finger on it. Which of our senses had told us that we were in danger? Maybe all of them working together. By concentrating on your sense of smell in the same way that we have the previous examples, you can tell a lot about your surroundings – what’s around us and, more
importantly, what’s around the corner. I believe it will make us calmer and less stressed, too. Work on it in the back of your mind as you’re going through your commute, in the car, working at your desk. Each time you concentrate on it your senses will improve, you’ll notice more, sense more.
Taste Sharks can taste blood in the water from miles away (something like one part blood in a million parts water) and use it to home in on their prey. We all know when food is off. Taste is an internal sense compared to the other four, but can be used in concert with them. Many people couldn’t give a toss about food, it’s just routine, and I doubt they’re really even hungry. They just shovel it in without enjoying it or even being aware of what it is.
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SKILLS ROOM | BILLY BASICS
But food is part of the world that we inhabit. We raise and slaughter animals, we grow vegetables, and we often turn wonderful, natural produce into tasteless, nutritionally valueless garbage because H&S tells the producers that’s how they should do it. I read an article about cows and how they graze, and how many cows will stick their heads through the fences and eat the natural grass on the verges outside their enclosures rather than the man-made seed that the farmer plants because it’s sweeter. In the same way we’ve done with the other senses, spend a day a week concentrating on your taste buds. Savour the tastes and textures, and by doing these awareness exercises you’ll be building a memory archive of feelings and experiences that will heighten your awareness. You’ll learn a surprising
amount about the things that surround you, and it’s something to concentrate on and to distract you from a life that can sometimes be quite tiresome and mundane.
Intuition Our brains receive millions of bits of information every minute we’re awake. This is far too much for us to process, so a lot is filtered out as unnecessary. Sometimes, however, it sees something and adds or cross-references it with something else. This often results in an uncomfortable feeling you cannot pin down. This comes to us in the form of intuition – not a sense like the others, but in my view an intangible one that is a product of all the other five. If you look in the dictionary, it is defined as a perception based upon no reasoning or evidence.
I studied Ninjutsu quite a few years back, and the fifth Dan test sees the candidate sitting cross-legged on the floor awaiting an attacker from behind him. If he senses the attack and rolls out of the way he passes; if he doesn’t, he gets a lump on his head. Imagine honing your senses to the degree that you practically have eyes in the back of your head.
Conclusion I’m a great believer in taking a holistic approach to life and learning by experiencing. Some ideas work and others don’t, and it might be that what I’ve written this month doesn’t do it for you. I can live with that. My final word is that which Captain David Stirling, the founder of the SAS, decreed: the ‘unrelenting pursuit of excellence’ is one of the pillars upon which the regiment sits. Need I say more?
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SAFE GUN HANDLING Safety is a key part of any airsofter’s arsenal – and one you have a duty to perfect. Andy Nightingale shows you how
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o matter what type of gun you use, be it rifle or handgun, there is always an element of danger involved. To make sure that you and everyone around you is safe we have to abide by some very simple but effective safety rules. Although the terminology may differ from range to range and country to country, the rules are all the same. It is important that we learn safe gun handling rules from the very beginning of our chosen shooting sport or pastime. It is also important that we constantly remind ourselves of the rules in order to remain safe. In almost all other sports and recreational pastimes we can afford to make minor mistakes, but in the world of shooting even a minor mistake can have a potentially life altering effect – even death. As responsible airsofters we must also educate and help those around us that may not know or understand the safety rules. We must follow the rules to the letter to remain safe at all times. Along with general gun safety, some parts of the world will have their own civil safety rules and regulations set out by civil law. It is the responsibility of the individual shooter to seek out advice from the appropriate authorities regarding gun safety rules and regulations.
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As a firearms instructor, I have visited many ranges in my work, both live and airsoft, and have noticed that almost all of them have adopted the basic range and safe gun handling rules that were set in stone by gun guru Colonel Jeff Cooper. Colonel Cooper had the idea to put together a set of safety rules that would be standardised throughout America (see panel far right). The rules were simple to follow and so became standard the world over, and are still used today by professional and amateur shooters alike. There are probably fewer recorded injuries in sport and recreational shooting than any other professional and amateur sport, due to the strict safety rules and regulations that are set in place. It is our personal responsibility to make sure that this continues in the future. If you are in any doubt as to the general safety rules then seek the advice of a professional firearms instructor or competent shooter at your local airsoft suppliers or site. You can always contact a shooting governing body such as the NRA or NSRA. Further information on gun safety can be obtained from your local gun range, gun shop, or police station. As a reminder, keep a copy of the rules with your gun at all times. I always take extra copies with me to the range
and hand them out to first time guests and anyone that wants one.
Other Rules Cooper’s rules are standard around the world – but no matter where you go it is the shooter’s individual responsibility to make sure that you abide by and understand the local gun safety rules. Many ranges around the world have added extra rules relevant to their specific range. Some may want you to uncase your gun on the firing point and others may require you to uncase your gun in a safe area and transport your gun to the firing point muzzle up. Make sure when using unfamiliar ranges and sites that you make yourself aware of the safety rules for that particular range. Eye protection is another safety consideration. All shooting should be done with adequate eye protection, not only for the shooter but also for any one else on the range. BBs have a tendency to bounce back at the firing point. They can also split into several fragments when they hit a hard solid object sending small splinters in all directions. Although they do not cause much personal damage, they will cause great damage to the naked eye. A pair of safety glasses rated at 1 joule+ is needed to protect the eyes from permanent injury.
SKILLS ROOM | GUN SAFETY Seven-Point Check To ensure a handgun is unloaded and safe, I like to do a seven-point check before I take charge of it, whether it’s a firearm or airsoft gun. First, make sure that the magazine is removed, and then point the handgun in a safe direction. Make sure that your finger never enters the trigger guard. Stand at 90 1 Look down the breach. Clear any obstructions with a barrel rod. 2 Look into the magazine well. Clear any obstructions. 3 Look back to check the loading nozzle. Clear any obstructions. 4 Tilt the gun over, keeping control of the muzzle and check that the magazine well is clear. Clear any obstructions. 5 Look down the breach. Clear any obstructions. 6 Look into the magazine well. Clear any obstructions. 7 Look back to check the loading nozzle. Clear any obstructions. This may seem to be a lot to go through and a bit over the top, but it makes sure that the gun is completely unloaded and safe to handle. Once you are happy with the final state of the gun, keeping it pointed in a safe direction, take aim, release the slide and fire off the action. This procedure can also be adapted to the airsoft gas blowback rifle by locking back the bolt to access the chamber and loading nozzle.
Revolvers Revolvers are somewhat different and a lot easier to clear. As always, point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger out of the trigger guard at all times. Swing the cylinder out with the strong hand and insert your first two fingers into the open gate to keep the cylinder from closing during inspection. If there are any rounds in the cylinder then these must be extracted before the revolver can be deemed clear. Although airsoft does not possess the same dangers in magnitude as live firearms, the principles are still the same and the risk of damage to oneself and others still exists. Safe gun handling skills are a must, and should always be practised no matter where you are or what you are doing. We must be – and be seen to be – safe to enjoy our sport. It is the few that disregard the safety rules that give us all a bad name in a sport that will always be frowned upon by the many.
degrees to the gun so you are facing the side. Grasp the front of the slide with your weak hand, while holding the grip with your strong hand, and pull the slide to the rear and lock it into place using the guns slide lock lever. Keeping full control of the direction of the muzzle, conduct the sevenpoint check.
COOPER’S GOLDEN RULES 1: Treat all guns as loaded No matter what condition the gun is in, always treat the gun as loaded. When a gun is discharged without intention people always say, “I thought it was unloaded.” Loaded or not, if a gun is discharged without intention the consequences can and will be devastating for you and anyone in the way of the fired round. 2: Do not point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy It’s a fact that guns destroy things. If you do not intend to destroy things then do not point the gun at them. That includes live as well as material things. Even during dry fire sessions you must respect the things around you. If you do not want to destroy your TV set then don’t point your gun at it. Maintaining this discipline will follow you to the range when you fire live. 3: Keep your finger off the trigger unless you intend to shoot Never put you finger on the trigger unless you have positively identified your target and what is beyond it. There is also the matter of an AD (accidental discharge) or ND (negligent discharge). I believe that ‘accidental discharge’ does not exist. You don’t accidentally put your finger on the trigger and you don’t accidentally pull the trigger; they are both a positive and physical movement. The gun will not go off accidentally unless there is a mechanical fault with the gun. Negligence destroys and kills. 4: Be sure of your target and what is beyond it What is beyond the target must be able to stop a round if it penetrates the target. You must identify what is beyond as you identify your target. You the shooter are responsible for every round you fire and its path of travel. If you are unsure whether what is beyond is suitable to stop a round when on the range, then either seek advice or do not shoot.
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WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...WIN...
A G&G G980 £360 WORTH
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or this month’s free-to-enter competition, the wonderful people over at Pro Airsoft Supplies have given us a G&G G980 rifle to give away to one lucky reader. Based on the iconic WWII German infantry rifle, the Karabiner 98 Kurz (or K98), G&G’s replica is a formidable prospect on the skirmish field. We reviewed the G980 back in the June issue of Airsoft Action,
Name _____________________________________ Address____________________________________ __________________________________________ Postcode ___________________________________
and practically had to prise it out of reviewer Jay Slater’s hands. Now it can be yours for just the price of a postage stamp – or for nothing if you enter via email! Considering it’s worth a not-tooshabby £360, we reckon that’s not a bad deal. Simply spot the differences between the five images below and get your answer to us to be in with a chance to win.
Telephone __________________________________ Email _____________________________________
Post your entry to: G&G G980 competition, Airsoft Action, Blaze Publishing, Lawrence House, Morrell Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV32 5SZ. Or, email your entries to competition@blazepublishing.co.uk, quoting ‘G&G G980 competition’ in the headline. Entries received after September 12 will not be valid. One entry per household. The winner will be the first name pulled from the editor’s hat. Blaze Publishing would like to keep you informed of other offers and publications. Please tick here if you would NOT like to be contacted by post or email
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TO ADVERTISE
01926 339808
CALL HANNAH
HANNAHB@BLAZEPUBLISHING.CO.UK www.airsoftactionmagazine.com
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Alex Wharton sinks his teeth into The Last of Us, the latest zombie extravaganza to send the gaming world crazy
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very once in a while a game comes along that you simply cannot miss. I’m not talking about the big blockbusters that sell millions – everyone plays those. I’m talking about the kind of game many players simply dismiss as something they don’t have time for. These are the games that make it worthwhile owning a specific console. After all, the Call of Duties or FIFAs are on everything, so why would you buy X over Y? Naughty Dog is a company that excels at this. Having first made the Uncharted series, it is now trying something a little different with The Last of Us. All of these games are exclusive to PS3, and you should own one simply to play them. The Last of Us is a third person action-adventure survival game that tells the story of Joel and Ellie, and the journey they take together, told over a year of their lives. It’s not quite
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that simple, of course. The game is set 20 years after a virus breaks out that drives people crazy, slowly taking control of them. It’s all very 28 Days Later: a zombie apocalypse, but as they’re infected and not truly dead, the term zombie is never bought up. Our two heroes need to make their way across the country. The game is heavily focused on avoiding combat and using stealth and movement to your advantage. In many encounters you don’t even need to attack – just wait for the gap in the patrol and move through and onwards. Of course, that makes it sound simple. Not all enemies have a set patrol – the infected just wander about all over the place! The aim of most encounters is to get behind the enemy and perform a stealth takedown. While quiet, these takedowns aren’t necessarily quick. At times, you really have to pick your
moment or risk being seen mid-act. Of course, you can always go loud. There are a number of different weapons in the game, all effective in their own way, including pistols, a shotgun, a hunting rifle, a bow – oh, and a flame-thrower. Ammo is pretty scarce, though, so it’s careful headshots all the way through. It’s easy to max out ammo limits for everything, only for the story to take a twist and throw up three huge combats in a row, with no supplies between any of them. Melee weapons break after a set number of uses. Apparently you can’t hit a gun with a metal pipe more than six times. I’m not planning on actually testing this any time soon, but it’s a touch annoying when a gameplay mechanic overrides reality. I get that it creates tension, but how come an axe can only hit human bodies five times, despite being
MEDIA REVIEW | THE LAST OF US initially appear evil, but it soon turns out that, like you, they are just out doing what they need to survive. This might mean stealing or killing, but nothing worse than what Joel and Ellie have done through the course of the game. This really plays with your mind for a while as you realise that you are as bad as some of the people out there. While it’s not necessarily going to stop you from doing what you need to, it did make me think about the progression I had made for quite a while. Unfortunately, the game then decides to twist these other people and expose them as truly evil. This was one of the very few things I didn’t like about the game. For a time it sat in a morally ambiguous grey area where you were as bad as those you had to fight, then suddenly you are good guys, they are evil, and you have no moral qualms about shooting them in the face. It wouldn’t have taken a great deal of rewriting to keep you in this grey area and keep the player thinking about the actions they were making and the effects they might have. But overall, The Last of Us is a
made to hit considerably harder wood? The combat is gripping, though. You always have options, and the arenas are usually wide enough to allow you to sneak off and come back from a different angle. At times you can feel like a real predator, picking off the guards who wander too far from the pack. With all the infected, slipping up and making them angry usually
means a quick dump of all ammo, a short attempt at melee and then a prompt death, cup of tea and reload the last autosave. Some of the fights you will make it through, but it leaves you seriously low on supplies. Medical treatment is also in real time, so you can’t just pop some super pills midfight to recover. You have to stop, drop your pack, and slowly bandage up. Part way through the game you are confronted by a group of people that
truly exceptional game. It left me emotional and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished. They could quite easily film the whole thing and it would make a great movie; the story has that much depth. The acting (both voice and animation) rivals most films. On top of this is a solid combat system that is almost believable. A survivor doesn’t have 400 bullets, he has 10, and each one is precious. If you have a PS3, you need to go out and get this. If you don’t have a PS3, make friends with someone who has and play it on theirs. This is a game that you need in your life.
INFORMATION The Last of Us DEVELOPER: Naughty Dog PUBLISHER: Sony Computer Entertainment PLATFORMS: PS3 PRICE: From £40
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Airsoft Action readers send in their personal snapshots from skirmishes across the UK and further afield‌
4th ng as WWII 3 yi la p ys gu he T y in by Chris Wra Infantry, sent
A sniper in action at Skirmish Exeter
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Tom Gospel (right) and his mate Pete playing at the old Homeland Tactical site in Spanby
soft partan Air S e th f o Shots onnelly by Paul D in t n e s , Team
(right) Rob Philips (left) and Chris Watson Aberdeenshire defending the village at Bunker 31,
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These snaps, taken at Skirmish Airsoft in Norwich, were sent in by Niall, who runs the site
This still was sent in by Karma Airsoft, taken from a movie they’ve been filming
Airsofters playing at the Grange, sent in by Alexander Smith Matt Bu tler and h is mates trekking r ound the War and Peace Re vival show in the glorious s un
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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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
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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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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
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DEALER LISTINGS
ADVERTISERS INDEX Land Warrior Airsoft ....................................................................................... 2 Airsoft World................................................................................................... 3 RedWolf........................................................................................................... 9 Pro Airsoft Supplies ................................................................................. 11, 92 Airsoft Zone .................................................................................................. 15 JD Airsoft .............................................................................................19 & 31 Wolf Armouries ............................................................................................ 26 Edgar Brothers, Danners – Blackhawk - TLSFx ............................... 38, 79, 91 No VAT ........................................................................................................ 38 Surplus Stores .............................................................................................. 38 EtonGuns ....................................................................................................... 47 Badger Tac .................................................................................................... 47 Just BB’s ...................................................................................................... 55 Military 1st ................................................................................................... 55 Goliath Footware ........................................................................................... 60 Gunman Airsoft ............................................................................................ 60 NRG CQB ...................................................................................................... 60 Thomas Jacks .............................................................................................. 67 Exertus Global .............................................................................................. 79 Dragon Valley Airsoft ................................................................................... 79
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