FEATURE IMMERSIVE AIRSOFT
THE SOUND OF SIRENS!
OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS JAMES HAS BEEN CREATING HIS VERY OWN “EARLY WARNING/ MOBILE ROCKET LAUNCH SYSTEM”, TO BRING A NEW LEVEL PF “PLAYER IMMERSION” TO APPROPRIATE GAME SCENARIOS AND “STAGE 1” IS NOW FULLY OPERATIONAL! THE SIRENS ARE READY TO SPOOL UP… AND OMG, ARE THEY LOUD!
W
ith “Lockdown Gen 3” starting to come to an end here in the UK and with the prospect of sites reopening their doors once again, the idea of field testing some of the props in-game has been my objective to work towards this month, bringing together some of ideas so far in a mobile form for an in-game objective. The plan is for players to be able to activate and launch a remote strike package onto a designated objective within the event scenario, such as an enemy held village or fortified position. To achieve this goal the system will require three main components. • A base control station for activating the launch detonators • The launcher itself (a multi-shot rocket launching platform) • A small flight case, remote fire controller that players will interact with. For ease of use the system is designed to be fully automated, so when the Fire Key is turned on the remote fire controller a signal is sent to the base station to activate and it takes over to run the launch. To simulate the fact that the enemy team have detected an incoming strike (although they may not know the intended target!) the base station first activates a threat level indicator warning to the enemy command post, which starts air raid sirens located around the site and finally warning klaxons at the launch site, before firing the rockets themselves! So, quite a lot for me to be getting on with!
THE BASE STATION
This time I’ll look at the “brains” of the system, the base station. To be able to make this work out in the field the whole unit is powered by a 13amp plug which can either be run off a standard 240v supply if available, or a small portable generator. The base 60
MAY 2021
station is divided into four principal units, which each have to activate at the right time.
THE LAUNCH CONTROLLER
This first panel controls all the other units on the base station and coordinates activation timings. When the remote fire controller is switched on by the player an arming signal is sent to this panel which, in turn, illuminates an armed indicator lamp giving Event/ Game Staff and Marshals a warning that things are about to get loud! As the fire key is turned a second signal is received. This immediately activates the sequence start buzzer on the panel and starts a 10 second countdown; after this the automatic sequence begins. Power is sent to the next panel. The threat level indicator unit activates with a traffic light warning light and audio buzzer; this unit is repeated at the enemy’s command post as a first warning of incoming. Five seconds later the main attack warning panel activates, powering the air raid sirens located around the site for a full one minute attack “Warning Red” signal, after which a second timer relay shuts this panel down and the sirens wind down. The final panel, the launch control, activates, sounding klaxons at the launch site. With three group switches it can be pre-set for either a 4, 8, or 12-rocket salvo, which automatically launch on unit activation sending them 1,000m into the air. Pre-set, ground-based pyro detonations will then detonate to indicate where the strike has hit. Moving on we will next look at the player remote fire controller and the launch platform itself and we hope to have a video of the system running at the end! Watch this space and get prepared to “Duck and Cover!” AA
