THE CAGE: NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS

AS WE ENTER 2022 IT’S A TIME WHEN WE ALL LOOK BACK ON THE PRECEDING YEAR AND TRY TO WORK OUT WHAT WE MIGHT LIKE TO HAVE DONE A LITTLE BETTER OR PLAYED A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. IT’S A TIME WHEN WE ALL MENTALLY RESET FOR THE AIRSOFTING YEAR AHEAD AND WORK OUT WHAT WE’D LIKE TO ACHIEVE… AND IT’S A TIME THAT WE MAKE THOSE RESOLUTIONS THAT WE KNOW WE’RE NEVER GOING TO STICK TO!

2021 was again for all of us, all over the world, a bit of a darn rollercoaster… and not in a very positive way! With a rollercoaster you know that you’re going to be terrified one moment, and then totally elated the next, but 2021 seemed to give us all the terror but little of the elation as the frights just kept on coming!

One moment airsoft was ON and we started making plans and preparing our kit, but the very next moment airsoft was OFF again and if you’re anything like me you re-stored your gear with a heavy heart and a great deal of disappointment until the cycle commenced once again…

Luckily for us the UK National Airsoft Festival coincided with one of the ON moments and we were able to get out and meet fellow airsofters in a controlled yet thoroughly enjoyable setting; the sun shone, many thousands (perhaps MILLIONS!) of BBs got shot, a few adult beverages were sunk in the evenings around the firepits and everyone was happy… whether or not that type of event is for you or not, the fact is that it was totally joyous to just be out and amongst fellow airsofters again, if only for a long weekend!

Like many of you, we have managed to get to some games and events, but far from the number that we would usually attend. Red Cell has been able to get together, but not every month as usual, and we’ve found ways to carry out our testing even if it has meant that “The Frog” has accumulated as many miles as usual simply ferrying around RIFs from one place, and one person, to another.

We’ve also found new ways of testing, and new venues for that to take place, even if it did mean that I personally spent many solitary days on the “woodland range” (spoiler alert… I was not totally “isolating” as the dog comes to the woods with me… bliss!). Gear testing was harder, and I for one missed our usual “mountain test”, although the guys have put in the miles making sure that what we recommend to you

“ONE MOMENT AIRSOFT WAS ON AND WE STARTED MAKING PLANS AND PREPARING OUR KIT, BUT THE VERY NEXT MOMENT AIRSOFT WAS OFF AGAIN AND IF YOU’RE ANYTHING LIKE ME YOU RESTORED YOUR GEAR WITH A HEAVY HEART AND A GREAT DEAL OF DISAPPOINTMENT UNTIL THE CYCLE COMMENCED ONCE AGAIN…”

has really been put through the mill; this is something that would normally happen “in game”, but few games equated to little testing, so this had to be done differently.

All in all to create AA every 15th of the month became a HUGE challenge, but it became a challenge that every single member of the team rose to and embraced… we OWNED that challenge, and the knowledge of that helps us continue to drive forwards into a whole new 2022!

For me that drive will be threefold, and first on the list is regaining my usual standard of personal fitness that’s been eroded initially by illness, but subsequently by much lower levels of physical activity. Secondly I am as keen as many of you to actually get out again and PLAY AIRSOFT… I bloody miss my fix! Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, is to be able to get back to being with my friends more regularly, and to spending more time with them… now this last one I have made a resolution for, and it is one that I WILL stick to!

TEAM TALK

Going back a couple of weeks I asked the AA Crew what their goals were for the coming year; “What are your AIRSOFT RESOLUTIONS for the coming year; please tell me what your hopes and dreams are for airsoft in 2022!” and this is what they had to tell me…

Stewbacca: I want to try and make more time for Airsoft, if that’s at all possible; I still feel like I’m being somewhat held back by my primary employment here which obviously for now has to take precedent, but would like to see myself interacting more directly with a wider base of manufacturers as well as continuing my close work with the nearby core group I know best.

Also want to forge ahead with both Action Air and potentially IDPA as I can see benefits in both styles, and hope to see their growth in Taiwan and a better public image and acceptance as a result.

Finally I hope to help the local community with our plans for more “basic training” and spreading of safe and sensible weapons handling culture and drills training to bring everyone in our team up to a competition circuit level; there are 5v5 squad tactics games on the horizon and I want to cut my teeth

“... FIRST ON THE LIST IS REGAINING MY USUAL STANDARD OF PERSONAL FITNESS THAT’S BEEN ERODED INITIALLY BY ILLNESS, BUT SUBSEQUENTLY BY MUCH LOWER LEVELS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. SECONDLY I AM AS KEEN AS MANY OF YOU TO ACTUALLY GET OUT AGAIN AND PLAY AIRSOFT… I BLOODY MISS MY FIX!”

along with my ex-mil US team lead who is taking on the tactics side while I handle the shooting skills side. Lots to be done!

Robbie: My new years airsoft resolution... three things, Go volunteer to teach the kids at my old Tactical Airsoft Arena I built and sold 20 years ago that is still running!! Second go with my EOD mate to his games-events and help run his (gov-military grade) drone systems and pyro LOL, and third Go see Bill in the UK THIS YEAR and actually game there!

Boycie: My airsoft resolution is to actually get out and play a few more games next year! To meet up with the Red Cell more often, one of those meet ups to be a live fire range day when we’ll get to shoot a number of ‘real steel’ weapons. Also to meet up with Dan and Rob in the USA during either 2022 or 2023, Covid dependant.

“Professionally” I am looking forward to being a part of a new project and more writing. Hopefully, along with the Red Cell, developing a product that a major manufacturer is looking to take up and possibly put into production

Jon: Mine are Airsoft and New Job related. Need to massively increase my strength, conditioning and cardio for the new job will be far more physical potentially… Sooooo back on the sensible eating, heavy duty resistance training, medium cardio and movement stuff. Yaaaay!

Dan: I feel like I say this at the end of every year, but in 2022, I am going to finally get started on expanding my tech shop. I desperately need more benches, shelving, gun racks, inventory storage, etc. I’m looking forward to designing the new layout and putting it into motion.

Barring continuing supply and shipping disruptions, I’d also like to follow through on my plan to roll out a series of new custom builds to add to the lineup. I suppose I’d also like 2022 to be the least year I handle an HPA build. Sorry, not sorry, #theyhavenosoul!

Lastly, I’d love to work a little less, play a little more Airsoft, and get back on the rower and work off some of the dad bod that’s started a beachhead on my middle.

Hana: All the big events have been postponed many times in the past two years in China and I hope next year will be back to normal of all the events, so I can report more news of or beloved game in China for Airsoft Action.

This year with ONETIGRIS I shall be working more with SWAT and professional training instructors on tactical gear, they keep to test and provide feedback on our new gear during actual training or shooting. Including other K9 gear for the heroic police dogs, they have been purchased for use in border forces and prison guards.

Next year as always ONETIGRIS aim to maintain excellent gear supply and design more military gear in line with the needs of real users with the cooperation of military and police; this will also become our regular way of testing cooperation and gear development in the next year. I certainly look forward to see you at the next SHOT or IWA show after COVID, then cheers! AA

“I SHALL BE WORKING MORE WITH SWAT AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING INSTRUCTORS ON TACTICAL GEAR, THEY KEEP TO TEST AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON OUR NEW GEAR DURING ACTUAL TRAINING OR SHOOTING. INCLUDING OTHER K9 GEAR FOR THE HEROIC POLICE DOGS, THEY HAVE BEEN PURCHASED FOR USE IN BORDER FORCES AND PRISON GUARDS.”

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