Airsoft Action - January 2023

CONTENTS

8

ARMOURY: VFC M110K1 GBBR

With MOA now behind us we can reflect on all the new directions that VegaForceCompany (VFC) have taken with their everexpanding range of licenced GBB rifles and carbines, and of course there were more new models that were launched at the show! Whilst this was all going on, Bill has been range-testing their M110K1 GBBR… and loves it!

18 ARMOURY: SPECNA ARMS

EDGE 2.0

We’ve been concentrating on the new models released by SPECNA ARMS in collaboration with some excellent licence-holders, but behind the scenes the team at SA have been busy rolling out their own “skunkworx” projects that bring an upgrade to both existing and new models internally and externally, so Bill takes a look at what’s new and what it means for performance and in-game use!

Editorial Director: Bill Thomas

Deputy Editor (Asia): Stu Mortimer

Graphic Design: Calibre Publishing

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Publisher: Calibre Publishing Web: www.airsoftaction.net

©Calibre Publishing Limited 2022 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 publisher in writing. The opinion of the writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions prior to publication.

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LETTER , IDEA OR QUESTION?

Got something to say? A question for our experts? An article or article idea? Drop us a line and let us know. Either email the Editorial Director: bill@airsoft-action.co.uk, or talk to us on Twitter or Facebook.

26 ARMOURY: DOUBLE EAGLE EK47 UTR

Most players out there will tell you that the AR has “the best ergonomics” in-game, but is this just because the AR-style replica is simply the most-used platform out there? There are always options, and even for the dedicated OPFOR player these options continue to grow, and they don’t all have to cost the earth as Bill shows as he looks at Double Eagle’s take on the mighty “SR47”!

34 ARMOURY: DOUBLE BELL TR-1 M-LOK

Last month Bill took a close look at the licenced TTI 34 from EMG that would be the perfect GBB pistol for a “WICK-ED” loadout, so this time he goes long with a more-budget friendly AR that would also be great when it comes to being inspired by one of our favourite movie anti-heros!

38 TOD: WINTER GEAR ESSENTIALS

During the past couple of months Bill has been taking a look at kit which is suitable for a longer duration game in winter conditions, and now he provides an overview of how this can all be put together and used. With a breakdown of how everything works together, he now makes use of his personal experience to show how you can use it effectively to keep you at full speed and “in the game”.

44 THE CAGE: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

As we get ever closer to the season of good cheer the Christmas decorations are going up again at AA HQ, and we’ll be hanging up our stockings hoping for some airsoft goodness to arrive from “Tactical Santa! This month in THE CAGE we thought we’d again have a little fun, so Bill got together with The Legion as usual to ask them what was on their letter to the big beardy bloke!

To end 2022 Bill brings in a very special edition of Red Cell as he looks back to the Falklands War of 1982, a year that is fixed in his memory and will be forever more, and suggests a selection of fabulous AEGs and GBBs that would be perfect for both reenactment, “Falklands Inspired” style games, or indeed any games with a 1980’s theme!

64 TECH: ARES ALPHA

Miguel is back again this month to talk about something quite unique, tech that lets game organisers really get a handle on achieving game organisation that is truly “next level”. He’s mentioned ARES ALPHA before in his game reports, but now opens the lid on some logistics tech that is simply stunning!

68 TECHNICAL: XM177 BUILD

In his Red Cell Special this month

Bill mentions the XM177, a carbine that was a vital building block in the development of the M4 that we all know and love today! However, Dan has never been totally happy with the “XM AEGs” on offer for airsoft, so decided to go about creating one of his own, and now he shares the details of a stunning build!

74 AA LEGION: TAIWAN

As always Stewbacca is a glutton for punishment in terms of airsoft-related endurance, so as soon as he returned to Taiwan from Japan and the Krytac Owner’s meeting he went out skirmishing that weekend, and then returned to the competition circuit the weekend after, for the final of three heats in the Sanchong Shooting Centre Shooter’s Cup, SPPT’s home stomping ground and host to most competitions he’s been involved in!

We’re absolutely delighted that the AA LEGION is continuing to grow, as that means we can bring you even MORE stories from our shared wide-world of airsoft! Larri in Hong Kong has become a much-valued core member of the team, and continues to delight us, and we hope you, with his reports on some very unique and exciting places to play!

Thankfully restrictions seem to be subsiding and becoming a thing of the past! With much of the world and even the most tightly secured parts of Asia finally opening up once more, Stewbacca made good on the opportunity to go and find out what all the past intrigue regarding the LayLax/Krytac Owner’s Meeting in Japan was all about!

96 THE LAST LAST POST

For many years now Airsoft Action has been proud to bring you the wise and sometimes acerbic words of a true industry veteran in “The Last Post”, but TAPS are now playing for our good friend Frenchie as he steps down, and just like the original TM FAMAS he has so ably wielded over the years he marches, head held high, into the hallowed halls of airsoft lore…

48 RED CELL: FALKLANDS 40

82 AA LEGION: HONG KONG

86 AA LEGION: KRYTAC OM JAPAN

TURN YOUR PHONE INTO THE MOST AFFORDABLE VIRTUAL SIMULATION SHOOTING SYSTEM. WORKS WITH REAL FIREARMS, GEL BLASTERS AND AIRSOFT.

SOCOM MAX!

Acouple of years ago I had the great privilege of being among the first to get “hands on” the then-new SR-25 ECC from VegaForceCompany (VFC) and I have to admit that I was very loathe to hand back the review rifle as it was absolutely sublime! Sadly the model I had was one of very few in Europe at the time and had already been spoken for, and even with cash in hand it was a story that sadly didn’t continue much to my eternal regret…

Roll on to now and my love for the ECC has finally

been requited as some weeks ago I took delivery of the “MIL SR-25” GBB option that VFC have released, the M110K1, and once again I have to admit that it was love at first sight, but thankfully this one is a “keeper” thanks to my good friend Ray Chang!

I find myself increasingly drawn to “large calibre” rifles these days (okay, in our reality they are all 6mm but still!) as there’s something about the beefy magazine and the overall feel of them that I’ve come to love. I have also found myself embracing gas-

WITH MOA NOW BEHIND US WE CAN REFLECT ON ALL THE NEW DIRECTIONS THAT VEGAFORCECOMPANY (VFC) HAVE TAKEN WITH THEIR EVER-EXPANDING RANGE OF LICENCED GBB RIFLES AND CARBINES, AND OF COURSE THERE WERE MORE NEW MODELS THAT WERE LAUNCHED AT THE SHOW! WHILST THIS WAS ALL GOING ON, BILL HAS BEEN RANGE-TESTING THEIR M110K1 GBBR… AND LOVES IT!

driven rifles more and more too, and I put this down to the fact that during the pandemic I spent a lot of time on my own shooting on the range… and there’s just something about a well-tuned and well set up GBBR that makes me happy.

I am hoping that 2023 is the year that following both my illness and the subsequent recovery process, and by the game-fallow pandemic years, I can finally get back out to some games; will I take one of my gas models to a MilSim, you bet I will, but to a regular skirmish day? Well, some say that a gas rifle isn’t really a skirmish tool, and in many ways I’d have to agree on the face of it. I’ve always said though that a really properly set up gas platform can hold its own on a skirmish day if your accuracy and range are nailed in, and nowhere is this more true than when it comes to a DMR.

I’ve always been a proponent of the “DMR Rule”, and in fact was one of the many that championed this “back in the day”. Our rule at the time was that a DMR should be distinctive in both build and performance; yes, the power level could be higher than a regular AEG, but lower than that of a boltaction rifle. The DMR had to be semi-auto only, running on a mid-cap or lower, and equipped with a suitable optic, and of course a Minimum Engagement Distance (MED) needed to be adhered to. It was a simple set of guidelines that allowed each squad to have a little extra “distance”, and when well set up and effectively used a good DM could be a devastating “force multiplier” in game.

I’ve been playing around with DMRs ever since, and although I love my gas SVD (I put this wholly in squad marksman territory), I’ve always had a huge soft-spot for the SR-25; it was really the SR-25, a rifle adopted by USSOCOM as the Mk11 MOD 0 in May 2000, that caused my site to create a DMR rule in the first place although the Mk14 Enhanced Battle Rifle (EBR) AEG was also a popular model at the time; the EBR though was a true beast in airsoft form, heavy and unwieldy, so when SR-25 AEGs began to appear in the early 2000’s many of us immediately grabbed one!

And yes, the SR-25 really has been around that long! Another lovechild of that genius Eugene Stoner, the original SR-25 was released in the early 1990s, but it was not until 2000, and after many trials and

design-tweaks, that Knight’s Armament Company finally got the Mod 0 into the hands of US(A) elite operators, and the platform stayed valid (and in 6.5 Creedmoor is still valid, more on that later!) for many years. Some 180 Mk11 MOD 1 rifles (Mk11s equipped with the upper receiver of the M110 SemiAutomatic Sniper System (SASS) were ordered by the USMC during the Iraq War, (the M110 SASS was again manufactured by Knight’s Armament Company and developed from the SR-25) but these saw limited action before they were phased out when the USMC chose to purchase the Mk11 MOD 2, which was simply the USSOCOM and US Navy designation for the complete M110 rifle.

Around 2012 there was talk that the SSR Mk20, the marksman variant of the FN SCAR, would replace the SR-25 but that proved not to be the case, and by 2017 the SASS was still rolling, albeit mostly with Special Forces elements like the MARSOC and the USN SEAL Teams. There was a little controversy when the M110A1 CSASS (Compact Semi Automatic Sniper System) or the M110A1 SDMR (Squad Designated Marksman Rifle) was taken into service to supersede the SASS, as basically this was, and is a re-engineered semi-automatic precision rifle chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO and manufactured by Heckler & Koch (H&K), effectively the G28!

AN SR-25 FOR TODAY

For many the airsoft SR-25 became “the thing” after the release of the movie “Lone Survivor” in 2013 as of course it was perceived to be the rifle used by Marcus Luttrell and Matthew “Axe” Axelson during “Operation Red Wings”… before you shout out, I KNOW that this was actually the Mk12 Mod 1 SPR, a very different beast indeed, but many airsofters at the time thought “SEALs... must be an SR-25…” and ran with that. I know that the purists out there will be silently screaming when they read this, but although I knew the SR-25 was the wrong rifle for a “Red Wings” loadout I did see some utterly righteous takes on the theme with that platform!

However, as with the real world time moves on, and although that CSASS program has rolled on the SASS was still very much at home with SOCOM elements!

I mentioned 6.5mm Creedmoor earlier, and

“ANOTHER LOVECHILD OF THAT GENIUS EUGENE STONER, THE ORIGINAL SR-25 WAS RELEASED IN THE EARLY 1990S, BUT IT WAS NOT UNTIL 2000, AND AFTER MANY TRIALS AND DESIGN-TWEAKS, THAT KNIGHT’S ARMAMENT COMPANY FINALLY GOT THE MOD 0 INTO THE HANDS OF US(A) ELITE OPERATORS”

this is a round that will “accommodate bullets shooting characteristics and reliability of the round.

environment from 2016, the Special Forces Raiders under the Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) are already using the KAC M110K1.”

And there, in a nutshell, is just why the new VFC gasser is such a crucial part of firearms and military history, as it provides airsofters with what is effectively the very latest marksman rifle used by the top-tier operators in US Special Forces, and the K1 is likely to remain the exclusive property of “The Operators” for the forseeable future!

BREAKING IT DOWN

When I look at the new K1 I am staggered once again at just what an elegant rifle it has become in its modern form! It looks like everything is where it should be, and there’s nothing

even forgive the “7.62” on the lower, as of course for the 6.5 it’s the upper that’s the important part! As with the SR-25 ECC the K1 is a 100% faithful replication of the real thing and features all the correct markings; anywhere you see a trademark or a marking it will have been replicated from the real deal.

VFC have especially adopted a new version of CNC post-processed aluminium in the upper and lower receivers that has been re-strengthened, and will be better able to withstand the recoil from the working parts (again, more on this to come!), and the receivers feature ambidextrous controls with a lightweight “dimpled” outer barrel inside a KAC SR-25 URX 3.1 13.5” handguard with KAC style folding micro sights. All the major components are finished a matt FDE

shock the enemy and make their ears bleed!””

So yes, it’s short and even with the distinctive KAC muzzle device it’s not that much longer them your average M4A1! Where it IS different though is in the build-quality which is HIGH above the average airsoft AR, and to start off with the VFC M110K1 is built under licence from Knight’s Armament Company so it has FULL pattern markings and trades to give it a real high-quality “feel” from the get go. The pattern marking and trades throughout are first rate, and I’ll

also features the latest patented “GuideHOP” which allows you to adjust the hop up using an Allen key directly on the gas block!

So, in summation the M110K1 is as close to the real deal as you’ll find anywhere, and everything is nailed down to look and feel exactly as it would on the real thing! Like the ECC it has a full-travel BCG with some real “oomph”, and once again this replicates exactly the operation of the military rifle so your drills are 100% the same. Realistic field stripping

“SO, IN SUMMATION THE M110K1 IS AS CLOSE TO THE REAL DEAL AS YOU’LL FIND ANYWHERE, AND EVERYTHING IS NAILED DOWN TO LOOK AND FEEL EXACTLY AS IT WOULD ON THE REAL THING! LIKE THE ECC IT HAS A FULL-TRAVEL BCG WITH SOME REAL “OOMPH”, AND ONCE AGAIN THIS REPLICATES EXACTLY THE OPERATION OF THE MILITARY RIFLE SO YOUR DRILLS ARE 100% THE SAME.”

is a major feature of the VFC GBB series so even the “modern re-enactors” should be happy here…

With absolutely first-rate build quality and superb materials, the K1 is awesome in all ways! Even the magazine (although it only holds 20 BBs again!) is brilliant, with the fill valve is located on the upper rear face so when the magazine is inserted you wouldn’t know it was filled with gas and not rounds; all in all it’s pretty much my dream rifle!

DOWNRANGE

And when it comes to shooting, the K1 is an absolute, out and out ass-kicker! I initially took the rifle to my usual 30m woodland range to chrono and test, and in terms of power I got a consistent 1.86 Joule/449fps

loud enough that on the woods range I really felt like I needed a suppressor… a real one! Okay, given the power level there was always going to be an audible muzzle report, but the noise of this thing is truly staggering… add to that the sheer mass of the BCG cycling (remember that reinforcement I mentioned?) and shooting it is quite the experience! If you’re thinking of using one of these to be all “sneaky sniper” then think again… this is a direct action animal at MEDs, and again I LOVE IT for that!

With the looks and performance available in one GBB platform I’m kind of wondering where VFC will go next, as they seem to have everything pretty darn nailed right now in my opinion. The M110K1 is, again my opinion based on my experience with many GBBR platforms, as good as it gets when it comes to an

accuracy was stunning at that range, and moving up to .40g… oh my! Yup, at 30m the K1 was hopping .40g flat and true…

The following day I popped up to a local range to test out the K1 at greater distances and decided I would settle on .36g for “field use”, fitting the rifle out with some accessory parts from my NUPROL “box o’ tricks! I added a “kill-flashed” NP OPTICS 3-9X50 IR sight on a TACTICAL SCOPE MOUNT with a 45 degree-mounted NP MICRO RDS as a back-up (FDE of course!), a Harris-style bipod and an NPQ15 LIGHT/ LASER BOX - TAN to round out “the look”. I paced out to 70m and then had at it prone, and after a little minute adjustment of the GuideHOP I was happily banging 12x12 steels time and again!

And “Oh boy (again)!” As Stu said when he looked at the VFC LAR (FAL), the K1 is LOUD! It’s

I for one want to know just HOW far you can push things. For now though I am looking forward to securing myself a few more magazines for the K1 and getting this bad-ass rifle in game!

As always my sincere thanks go to Ray and the righteous team at www.vegaforce.com for creating another GBB work of art… LONG MAY IT CONTINUE! AA

GETTING EDGIER

IN THE RECENT PAST WE’VE BEEN CONCENTRATING ON THE NEW MODELS RELEASED BY SPECNA ARMS IN COLLABORATION WITH SOME EXCELLENT LICENCE-HOLDERS, BUT BEHIND THE SCENES THE TEAM AT SA HAVE BEEN BUSY ROLLING OUT THEIR OWN “SKUNKWORX” PROJECTS THAT BRING AN UPGRADE TO BOTH EXISTING MODELS AND NEW ONES INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY, SO BILL TAKES A LOOK AT WHAT’S NEW AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR PERFORMANCE AND IN-GAME USE!

Sfirst big broadside into the Asian market, and reports are that this was very well received, and from what I see and hear this is only the first salvo in a very business-like approach to airsoft!

What? Wait? “Businesslike”? Yup, I know, right, there’s a word that we hear all too little in relation to airsoft, but like it or loathe it, airsoft is BIG business these days with hundreds of thousands if not millions of players all around the globe… and all those players want GUNS! Whether you believe that airsoft should remain in the hands of enthusiasts, or that the players should always drive what the manufacturers produce, that’s not in reality how things work…

Manufacturers are businesses at the end of the day, and some even have shareholders that they need to report and show profit to. They are producing thousands of pieces of a single unit (in our case an AEG or GBB) and their sourcing of raw materials, production capability, and indeed quality control programs all need to work seamlessly together.

Once created they need to market and sell these products, convincing “we the players” that what they have on offer is the thing that we really, really want and need, and then they need to ensure that stock is available, at the same time, with a logical price structure, in every country in which they do business… so now we’re into shipping and logistics, and although things ARE getting better, this side of things is still fraught with difficulties large and small…

Are you getting the picture yet? Airsoft has, and will continue to change, and I for one believe it’s high time that everyone in the industry stopped fannying around and did things in a business-like fashion, from OEM to manufacturer to distributor and even including retailers! Let’s stop making drama and slagging everyone off and just get on with having an airsoft industry, start to finish, that’s PROFESSIONAL!

Okay, no apology, but rant over! Why do I say this here in relation to SPECNA ARMS? Well, along a few

“cutting edge” have taken our buck and ended up bland, simply rolling out a succession of the same old thing time and again, or in some cases relying on essentially a single product to see them through, keeping their shareholders happy whilst players begin to look elsewhere for their inspiration… and end up somehow surprised that their market share has fallen away…

Not so SPECNA ARMS!

Through a constant, ongoing and focused design and development program, along with some clever industry collaborations, SA have continued to bring something new to the party on a regular basis!

Although we have indeed homed in on some of their excellent “collaboration models” more recently as they’ve brought different and exiting things to the

“AT MOA WE SAW THEIR FIRST BIG BROADSIDE INTO THE ASIAN MARKET, AND REPORTS ARE THAT THIS WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED, AND FROM WHAT I SEE AND HEAR THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST SALVO IN A VERY BUSINESS-LIKE APPROACH TO AIRSOFT!”

program as well as new internal tech that’s become available and they’ve made steps forward in both areas!

I was sent two models to look at, models that I’ve been range-testing for a little while now, the SA-E09-RH EDGE 2.0 and the SA-E13-RH EDGE 2.0 Carbines; both are available in Black, and Black/FDE combinations, and both now sport SA’s own Heavy Ops Stock; the E13 comes in at 825-907mm, 2825g whilst the E09 is 825-910mm, 2770g so there’s little between the two here. This is the first time though that I’ve seen the Heavy Ops Stock as other than a 3D printed prototype, and it’s excellent in its final production form, a slim, lo-profile polymer design that’s akin to a pared-back CRANE but still offers great

battery storage space; it also gives easy access to the buffer tube for battery changes in-game without having to remove the entire stock, and with an oversized paddle it’s a breeze to adjust on the fly.

Now the E09 is a design that I’ve seen before in that it’s a classic, no-nonsense mil-style AR platform with a nice KeyMod rail that’s been in the SA line for a while… the EDGE 2.0 though is NOT the model we’ve seen before though as it shares many new features with the SA-E13-RH EDGE 2.0.

The E13 is… well, different externally; yes, it shares commonality with the E09 is some areas, including the excellent Heavy Ops Stock that I’ve already mentioned, but at the front-end it has a striking skeletonised rail that puts me very much in mind of a FORTIS aftermarket accessory. I believe that this will be a “love/hate” kind of deal, but for those that like something unique and modern that doesn’t immediately scream “MIL!” then it could be a real

But what else makes these two carbines “new and

“The EDGE ™ is a series of Specna Arms replicas that combines a wide range of innovative solutions that are difficult to find in other replicas currently available the market. The series focuses on a very good external build, solutions increasing the replica’s versatility, longevity, facilitating failure diagnostics, and susceptibility to power tuning. Straight out of the box you will get a replica in which you won’t have to make any kind of modifications, unless you want to, which will be remarkably simple.”

ADVANCES ACHIEVED

So, have they achieved this, and how? Let’s start by coming back to the “commonality” I mentioned, as both models now sport a receiver pairing that is an original SA design; the new receivers certainly have a very distinct and unique appearance that I have to

“AT THE FRONT-END IT HAS A STRIKING SKELETONISED RAIL THAT PUTS ME VERY MUCH IN MIND OF A FORTIS AFTERMARKET ACCESSORY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL BE A “LOVE/HATE” KIND OF DEAL, BUT FOR THOSE THAT LIKE SOMETHING UNIQUE AND MODERN THAT DOESN’T IMMEDIATELY SCREAM “MIL!” THEN IT COULD BE A REAL WINNER!”

say will be unmistakeably “Specna” with some solid raised fencing on the magwell, and I have to say it appeals to me greatly; it’s thoroughly modern with a blocky, almost “billet” feel with some solid raised fencing on the magwell, and I have to say it’s a cool, up-to-the-minute look.

Although it feels 100% solid the receiver set still feels slimline, and although I’m personally not a fan of the “magwell grip” there are further design features in place there if that’s your bag! Controls are ARclassic in terms of positioning, but are now 100% ambi, with new, easier-to-use designs for the selector and magazine release, and the trigger on both models is the now-popular flat-face “race” style. At the rear of the lower is a single-point sling plate pre-fitted, and the usual (again excellent) SA polymer flip-up sights are “as standard” too. The receivers benefit from SA’s Nano Coating to keep them looking good over time, and all in all everything is tight, and the new receiver design looks a million dollars!

Internally straight away you can see that there’s a lot of work gone into keeping things as slick as the externals; this kicks off with an again as-standard 6.03 mm internal precision barrel paired up with a new design Rotary Hop that is made to be fully and optimally compatible with the precision barrel. In another move forward SA fit a Helium Flat Hop bucking too to aid in improving consistent accuracy. Both carbines also feature the now-established, and fully field-tested ESA2 quick spring change system that I’ve tested and written about before; why change something that works, and works well?

Given of the current disparity globally on legal power limits, this system guarantees the player an AEG that can be simply adjusted. The ESA2 system allows you to take minimal time to change the main spring, so you can set your power level in such a way as to guarantee an ideal compromise between territorial legality, effectiveness of fire, and safety for the user and other players; I’ve said this before, but as someone who has played, and hopes to play again, in different countries with different laws I like this, I REALLY do!

Driving everything along is the awesome ORION gearbox; this has a reinforced chassis, and features a

main spring release function. Now I’ve come to expect everything inside a SA AEG to be workmanlike, tidy, and of serviceable quality, and both the new models tested hold true to this formula; inside you get a steelreinforced polymer piston, a polymer, double-sealed piston head with bearings, an sealed alloy nozzle, alloy double-sealed cylinder head, spring guide with bearings, a set of steel gears, and 8mm bearings. The motor here is SA’s own powerful High Torque motor that has a 22TPA (Turn-Per-Arm) winding so that it can comfortably drive along heavier springs if required!

You also get on both models the ASTER control system; now I’ve already had a bit of experience with the ASTER system and have found that it offers:

• safeguard from reverse polarization of a battery

• innovative optical sensors

• 250 trigger sensitivity settings

• ability to configure with the use of the replica’s trigger or GATE Control Station application

• integrated RGB LED diode simplifying the programming of the system

Of this control system SA again tell me that; “The ASTER ™ system is the little brother of the well-known TITAN ™ unit. This fourth generation of AEG control systems has been designed for the majority of electric replicas equipped with the V2 gearbox, including those that are heavily tuned. ASTER ™ will allow you to achieve maximum reliability at an affordable price. This system is characterized by an extremely favorable price-performance ratio.”

Thanks to the ASTER system you can set up your AEG just as you like it, replacing the contacts with an advanced controller equipped with innovative optical sensors and which does honestly provide up to 250 trigger sensitivity settings! A smart electric fuse protects the battery, motor and controller, even if there is (lawd forbid!) a reverse battery connection! The EDGE 2.0 AEGs also come with a dedicated trigger, called the SOLAR Trigger that works perfectly with the sensors of the ASTER system, offering unprecedented sensitivity and precision; the new SA Arms trigger is licensed from the Gate Quantum Trigger. Do be aware that as before some functions of the ASTER system are only available via the GCS (Gate Control Station) app which requires a USB-Link.

“THANKS

DOWNRANGE

In operation the EDGE 2.0 models provided for evaluation (with the springs set to UK-legal limits prior to shipping by the lovely guys over at www. gunfire.com) were a delight to shoot! I initially tested the carbines on my 10m short range, to chrono and evaluate, and in terms of power I got a consistent 0.99Joule/328fps on a .20g RZR BB using a buffertube 900mAh 11.1V LPo through both models. With .28g RZR BBs the accuracy was excellent at that range, so both these carbines are ideal for a CQB application.

Moving up to the woods range I ran my usual drills using the provided S-MAGs; the new EDGE 2.0 AEGs come with a pair of SA’s own-design S-MAG mid-cap magazines which offers a capacity of 125 BB’s; these magazines have now been tried, tested and thoroughly abused by a number of the AA crew and I can tell you that to date we’re yet to have any failure from the ones we have used over an extended period! Not only has this proved to be a reliable midcap magazine design, but the styling is pretty cool too. That said, both carbines fed perfectly from other STANAG and polymer magazines too!

I set up both carbines exactly the same with T1style optics and taclights. Both models came with SA’s stubby slant foregrip too, a design I personally like; I had hoped that this would be an opportunity to try out their new angled foregrip that was in the same development program as the Heavy Ops Stock, but it seems I’ll have to wait for the X SERIES for that. However, once I had the hops set I was able to ring the steels consistently at 30m with dead-flat .28g BB flight to target; these carbines put BBs where you want them to go, so if you’re going to use it for woodland games then consistent accuracy at midrange is not going to be a problem once you have it set up right!

My final take is that the EDGE 2.0 models are great AEGs and show some real steps forward in SA’s development program. If I look at the price of the E09 the new version IS more expensive than the old one, but you are definitely getting what you pay for, and as I’ve said before I believe that prices for AEGs well inevitably go up anyway in 2023 given the global economic situation.

Both AEGs perform in a very similar fashion to one another when it comes to shooting them, and there is a commonality of some parts (which honestly is no bad thing!) of course, but each model had its own distinct character and I believe that the overall design aesthetics will appeal to different types of player. It looks like that within the Specna Arms range there

will still be something for everybody, whatever “YOUR style of airsoft”!

styling, and in practical terms the ambi control interfaces and the new Heavy Ops Stock are very much to my personal taste, and when it comes to internal parts and fire-control systems SA have retained their passion for quality, performance and versatility. In relation to their “business-like approach” if they continue to move forward in this fashion, and continue to create solid, performance-oriented AEGs then I for one am very much in favour of it!

Pawel and the team at www. gunfire.com supplying the AEGs for review, and I’ll be issuing these out within the Red Cell team for ongoing evaluation; watch this space for a RELOADED review next year!

OPFOR DELIGHT

As I said way back in June 2020 (Oh how long ago that seems!) when I looked at the thennew Double Eagle (DE) M904A “if you’d said to me that I’d be looking at a neat little AR AEG with a host of up-to-the-minute features from Chinese manufacturer Double Eagle even a couple of years back I’d have probably nodded sagely and said “Oh yes, I’m sure it will be fine…””, but the fact is that it’s turned out to be way more than just “fine”, and the Double Eagle Falcon Fire Control System (FFCS) has turned out to be a bit of a gem, offering a multitude of features at a price affordable by all players.

Yup, our choices are wider than ever, and to be honest there are some awesome AEGS and even

GBBRs appearing at prices that once I would have thought utterly unachievable, but recent events have thrown this up in the air again! Prices for some truly excellent entry-level AEGS are heading upwards, and in my opinion the “price-point” for some of them has been kept artificially low as airsoft brands vie for increased market share.

Since the C-VIRUS kicked in we’ve seen all manner of changes, and whilst this doesn’t per se affect airsoft as a game, it DOES affect airsoft directly when it comes to pricing, and again my opinion, but I do believe we will be seeing the price of our “good to go guns” changing in 2023. Okay, I’m told by many manufacturers and distributors that freight costs (and times) are getting better again which is a bonus, but I’m also being told by many OEMs that “raw material” costs are spiralling… think about an AEG for a moment and we all know that they are the combination these days of some pretty good alloys and a collection of high-end electrical parts… the cost of which are ALL going up and up, WHEN they are available in the first place!

I’m not being all “doomy” here, but I believe we have to

“YUP, OUR CHOICES ARE WIDER THAN EVER, AND TO BE HONEST THERE ARE SOME AWESOME AEGS AND EVEN GBBRS APPEARING AT PRICES THAT ONCE I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT UTTERLY UNACHIEVABLE, BUT RECENT EVENTS HAVE THROWN THIS UP IN THE AIR AGAIN!”

understand that price-structures are changing; when I looked at the DE M904A just two years ago the retail price for it was iro UK£150, but for the model I’m looking at here, the EK47 UTR, I’m seeing at prices iro UK£200 for what under the skin is largely the same thing in different, albeit very cool, party clothes… this is NOT manufacturers trying to get more money out of us, or distributors upping their “margin take”, it’s simply how the global economic situation is hitting the airsoft market, and it is what it is.

Sorry, I needed to get that out of my system as all too often at the moment I’m seeing negative social media crap about increased prices and “players getting ripped off”, but the simple truth is that the world has changed… and continues to change, and whilst it may seem that the situation is negative, I can only be positive about the majority of new AEGs and GBBs that I’m seeing right now, and the DE EK47 UTR is a great example of how you can still buy an excellent little AEG, something a bit different too, and still get exceptional value and performance!

THE OPFOR AR!

Now I make no bones that a) I like a bit of OPFOR sneaky-beaky, and b) I do love an AK! However, again due to real-world events a lot of us are somewhat reticent to field our “Russian Rifles” right now and rightly so; you know where Airsoft Action stands on events in Ukraine!

So what to do when it comes to having something a bit different for OPFOR work, but something that handles just as well as the BLUFOR ARs? I’ve said it before, and I will no doubt say it many more times when I see a new take on it, just BUY AN SR47!

The SR47 was designed to be the perfect platform for the airsoft OPFOR player; born from the idea IRL of a soldier being able to resupply behind enemy lines and operators being able to leave a smaller footprint to conceal their presence, the original Knight’s Armament SR47 combined the familiar AR ergonomics with the legendary 7.62x39mm cartridge used by the AK-47/AKM. The SR-47 was specifically designed to allow operators to utilise munitions acquired from the enemy in situations where resupply was not an option. Additionally the SR47 had the added benefit

of sounding like a typical AK and not an AR which helped mask an operator’s presence as well as being able stay covert by not leaving any evidence such as casings from a NATO weapon.

Having spent some quality time now with my fabulous BOLT SR47 I have to say that the familiar feel of the AR design and control interface but with AK magazines and loading/unloading drills has really endeared it to me. Although, in my opinion, the BOLT is a super AEG, the fact is that you’re going to need to drop iro UK£400-plus for the URX 3.1 version and I have found that it’s a little picky on what magazines it likes to devour too.

CYMA do a passable SR47 replica at a more palatable price, the 093, but my favourite is still the the CM096, and this is because it replicates another AR/AK hybrid, namely the CMMG Mk47 “Mutant”!

When you first look at the “Mutant”, or Mk47, you might be rightly mistaken that it’s just another AR; everything screams out “.308 AR”, but the lower and especially the flattened-out “industrial style” magwell with a paddle magazine release begins to tell quite another story; of course, when you see that big old AK “banana mag” in the magwell all becomes clear! Again, I love this rifle, and with a price of just over UK£200 at the time I bought it a couple of years back, as far as AR/AK hybrids go was a real bargain… but guess what? Yup, you’ll now pay iro UK£270 for the exact same AEG!

Now I know that price isn’t everything (to some!), and that you get what you pay for, but the DE EK47 is out there iro UK£190, and you get an awful lot of modern “SR” for a little-ish price!

NUTS AND BOLTS

First up, let’s look at the styling of the EK47, and oh boy, does it look “bang on trend”! You get a very unique, almost “billet-like” receiver pairing that’s beautifully finished and well put together; the lower also has a slightly over-sized trigger guard that’s ideal for use with even bulkier gloves protecting a flatface trigger. The upper melds neatly and solidly into an excellent ¾ length contiguous top rail (licensed by Aeroknox LLC Firearms to DE, just so you know!), while at 3,6, and 9 0’clock you have full-length

“SO WHAT TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT FOR OPFOR WORK, BUT SOMETHING THAT HANDLES JUST AS WELL AS THE BLUFOR ARS? I’VE SAID IT BEFORE, AND I WILL NO DOUBT SAY IT MANY MORE TIMES WHEN I SEE A NEW TAKE ON IT, JUST BUY AN SR47!”

M-LOK compatibility meaning you can set it up with your favoured optics and go-faster accessories. Rounding out the externals you have an ergonomic pistol grip and sliding stock that are very “MP”, and a unique muzzle brake on a 14mm CCW thread… the EX to me really needs a “soviet-style” suppressor though!

Overall it’s very cool throughout, lightweight at 2280g and very sturdy. Control-wise you have a really well set-up ambidextrous selector lever and charging handle, along with an extended magazine release making everything slick when it comes to drills and manipulation. To top things off, quite literally, there are polymer flop-up sights front and rear; it’s a neat and solid package.

Of course internally is where things get interesting due to the Falcon Fire Control System (FFCS) that I talked about back in 2022, but this time the V2. This is DE’s own “in house” design and it’s proved to be effective in their standard ARs, and a number of techs that I know give it “the nod” as being a great example of a programmeable system… and program it you can for:

• 1-5 BB burst mode

• trigger sensitivity adjustment

• binary trigger mode

• voltage detection

• motor and gearbox protection

• battery protection

• safety function

The gearbox also offers a quick spring change system (more on this later!), and 8mm steel bearings, and wiring ids of good quality, leading to a DEANS connection in the buffer tube. With a 6.06mm internal barrel and a rotary hop adjuster, the EK is pretty much good to go as soon as you’ve programmed it to your preferred setting, and this is simple and well-explained.

BANG ON!

As the EK47 had come to me straight from the shipping container, it was HOT when it arrived, but thankfully Tim at iWholesales gave me the heads up on this, along with a new spring; this is where the quick change function helped as it was a simple job to

change this out, resulting in a power level through the chrono of 1.09 Joule/343fps on a .20g BB, bang-on for most sites! Now, most good retailers will change the spring to comply with local site restrictions, but make sure it’s been done before you take it home if you’re in the UK as the original power will put you into dodgy legal territory!

Once the new spring was in though, the power level remained pretty constant through the chrono. As I’m a midcap player I was delighted with the 200 BB polymer “waffle-style” model as standard, and this fed flawlessly throughout testing, although I did test with a variety of different AK mags and had sporadic results; you do need it seems to pick your mags carefully, but I especially liked the look of my AK12 mags in the EK as these make it look properly “of the moment” and fed just fine! In terms of hitting the target at 30m this was not a problem, and once the hop settled in a little on a cold day POA/POI were pretty darn spot on at the furthest extent of the woods range; like my other SR47s I’m certain this will improve further once the EK has had time to fully bed in fully.

So, does the DE EK live up to my expectations for a decent little OPFOR-esque blaster? Yes it does, and the shorter length compared to my other SR47s (735815mm) and its modern styling makes it unique in a good way! With a price of just under UK£200 at the time of writing this, as far as AR/AK hybrids go this is a great little AEG and one that deserves a rightful place in my OPFOR armoury! So, if you do fancy something different from the average AR, something truly a bit “Red Cell” in the very best way, then the Double Eagle EK47 UTR could be the very thing you’ve been searching for, and you can check it out by visiting www.iwholesales.co.uk AA

“SO

LAST MONTH BILL TOOK A CLOSE LOOK AT THE LICENCED TTI 34 FROM EMG THAT WOULD BE THE PERFECT GBB PISTOL FOR A “WICK-ED” LOADOUT, SO THIS TIME HE GOES LONG WITH A MOREBUDGET FRIENDLY AR THAT WOULD ALSO BE GREAT WHEN IT COMES TO BEING INSPIRED BY ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE MOVIE ANTI-HEROS!

The legend of John Wick continues! Or so it would seem that “JW4” appears set to hit the big screen come March 2023! This has created a lot of excitement online, and certainly within the group of airsoft friends I have locally… and yes, I’m pretty darn excited by the news too as “Parabellum” left us with a huge pile of unanswered questions…

If you’ve not seen “Parabellum” (if not, WHY NOT???) then watch out, as there may be a SPOILER or two coming up… did Winston really mean to kill Wick off when he shot him, or was its staged to mess with The High Table? Will The Bowery King get his revenge? And, if what we see in the trailer

is right, what is Wick going to get up to in Japan? Of course though, the BIG question for all of us in airsoft-land is what gucci firearms will he be using THIS TIME?

Fact is we’ll have to wait and see, but if one thing is certain his choice of firearms will be dissected minutely, and I’m certain that the manufacturers will be vying hard to get the latest handgun models replicated in 6mm first… honestly, there’s a lot to look forward to when a new “Wick” hits the screens, and I’m also certain that a lot the new GBBs will be licenced to the hilt and rightly so as that way we get the exact thing that we want.

But what about the “longs”? What about the rifles and carbines that our beloved Mr W uses so righteously? As much as there are many choices when it comes to the handguns, it does seem that a lot of the longer models have been left a little out in the cold, and I can’t understand quite why as some of them are amongst the most popular airsoft variants out there right now! Back in the original movie he makes good use of the HK416 (actually a Coharie Arms CA-415 clone in the movie, yes even the real firearm world has clones!) along with a KelTec KSG. In “Parabellum” it’s the TTI SIG-Sauer MPX Carbine (he actually takes and uses a SIG-Sauer MPX Copperhead at one point too!) and a TTI Benelli M2 Super 90, and of course in “Chapter 2” it’s the TTI Benelli M4 Super 90 shotgun and a rifle that many have tried to build in airsoft-custom-form, the TTI TR-1 Ultralight!

With most of these models already available in airsoft form I’m genuinely amazed that someone like EMG hasn’t created the “full package” yet, but perhaps it’s an ask too far when it comes to licencing. The “HK” was pretty bog-standard in honesty, and to create the MPX models that would mean not only the TTI licence, but also one with SIG… and as SIG have their own airsoft program now perhaps they’re not interested in third-party arrangements… who knows, perhaps we’re in for a treat one day…

CUSTOM OR NOT?

When it comes to the TTI TR-1 Ultralight though I know a fair few people that have tried to replicate this in airsoft form, and some of the custom “takes” have been downright drool-worthy! However, creating something like the TR-1 has involved donor AEGs and GBBRs, expensive real-steel parts, and in some cases some judicious 3D printing! As with any custombuild you’ve got to be in it for the long-haul, and be prepared to drop some cash on something that will indeed be unique, but also expensive.

However, completely out of left field comes Double Bell (DB) with their TR-1 M-LOK AEG! In Issue 133 Jimmy took a close look at the Double Bell “416-alike” and he wound up his review by saying “My conclusion is that Double Bell have produced something rather good which doesn’t cost an awful

lot; you certainly will stand out if you’re carrying one, and it’s perfect for a beginner, especially the price!”

So, to put out my stall for the Double BellB TR-1 I’ll go back to that statement, the one that concludes that the manufacturer formerly-known as D-Boys is actually putting out some decent base-level AEGs these days!

But what do we want from a “Wick TR-1”? Looking at the rifle used in the movie it was tricked out of course with the TTI upgrade package; this included a BCM Gunfighter Mod 0 collapsible stock, BCM KMR Alpha 13” rail, BCM pistol grip and vertical foregrip, PRI Compensator, 1-6x24 Trijicon Accupoint scope with an RMR on a canted rail, and Magpul PMAGs with TTI “bumper” extensions. That’s quite the shopping list right there!

DB have really pulled a flanker here in my opinion as they’ve created an AEG that LOOKS like the “Wick Rifle”, and comes fully-formed from the box ready to roll with in your catacombs of choice! Now I have seen that in the UK market the rifle in question comes WITHOUT any trademarks, and in my personal opinion this is right and proper, but in other markets I have seen images of it WITH trades… your call, but again personally I’m quite happy with the un-traded version, but then regular readers will know my opinion of this…

That out of the way, in all other ways what you get from Double Bell looks great, and for the most part you get a very, very passable “TR-1” for around the UK£300 mark, and the package includes both flip-up iron sights and a pretty reasonable 1-4x20 throw-lever optic! The rifle itself is actually very well put together indeed, with a close-fitting alloy MUR-style receiver set (the lower featuring an oversized trigger guard) with standard non-ambi controls, and one feature I like is the “chrome” mock-bolt, although being a little purist this should be bronzed rather than chromed. The other major changeout is that the DB features an rather nice M-LOK rail rather than the KeyMod of the movie gun, but again this brings it up to date in my eyes and adds rather than detracts from the whole.

Furniture is also very well done with a nice nod to replicating the look of the BCM parts, and the muzzle device replicates the PRI comp nicely too; this is on a 14mm CCW thread, so if you fancy a tracer or

“DB HAVE REALLY PULLED A FLANKER HERE IN MY OPINION AS THEY’VE CREATED AN AEG THAT LOOKS LIKE THE “WICK RIFLE”, AND COMES FULLY-FORMED FROM THE BOX READY TO ROLL WITH IN YOUR CATACOMBS OF CHOICE!”

suppressor you’re all set. Internally there’s nothing to shout about to be honest, it’s just a very workmanlike AR-AEG with a V2 gearbox, quick-change spring, standard wiring to a mini tamiya in the buffer tube, and a rotary hop setup, but as Jimmy said of the Double Bell he tested “this would also be a great base to throw some money at internally and make it something special”!

DOWNRANGE

So, did shooting it make me feel just a little bit “Wick”? Actually it did; with airsoft it’s sometimes a little bit “pantomime” isn’t it, and the right tools just help in that “suspension of disbelief”! It’s no performance rifle like the real deal (although I believe it could be) But it‘s great fun to shoot!

With the optic fitted and levelled I loaded up the “sidewinder” 300 BB Hi Cap with .20g and got to work on the range. Although the TR-1 has a singlepoint sling plate fitted as standard I ended up using a black VIPER two-point as that style suits me best these days, and this made it easier to transition from pistol to rifle and back in drills; the rifle is only 850mm at full extension and weighs 2860g so it’s easy to manipulate and move around with. Working through the range I found the trigger is a little unresponsive; not overly so, but it does take a positive pull to send BBs downrange happily. On semi you really can still get shots away rapidly if your trigger discipline is good, but on auto it’s pretty cool, and the TR-1 really does grunt when you put down a solid burst!

The flip-up sights that come fitted as standard are more than adequate, and indeed are sturdily made of alloy, but with the included optic the TR-1 really is ready to roll straight from the box just by adding a battery and some BBs! Once the optic was zeroed, at 30m unsupported in was easy to get hits on a sandbag target with each BB flying straight and true. I also took the TR-1 down to the 10m indoor range (which is a bit catacombs-like to be honest!), and the rifle performed well, banging the steels hard at 5-10m, and putting a power level of 1.06 Joule/339fps on a .20g through the chrono, although the hop arrangement seemed to really like .28g best.

I have to say that the DB TR-1 really did make me feel pretty on-point, especially with the TTI 34 in my holster as a backup! How would I run this setup in game? Well, with the number of indoor CQB sites these days I do think I’d be brave enough to run this setup suited and booted so to say, but probably with a beanie on my head, a black roll-neck under some LEstyle body armour, and a really lo-profile belt setup for

extra AR and pistol mags like the one that JW used in The Continental in “Parabellum”; in fact I think I may have to speak nicely to Taig at Kydex Customs and see what he might be able to create!

With an iro£300 price-tag here in the UK the TR-1 really gives a massive amount of giggle-factor for the money, and when you add that it most certainly looks the part, feels great, and shoots very adequately as standard so as far as I can see Double Bell have got this right. As Jimmy said, the Double Bell AEGs are easily upgradeable with COTS “Marui compatible” internal parts, so this strikes me as a fabulous solution for anyone that wants to create a “Wick-inspired” loadout for CQB games on a budget but with the scope to upgrade it to something a bit more special as their funds allow…we’re certainly not talking “custom gun” money here, or anywhere near the US$4000 a real TTI would cost you!

So, are we ready for “JW4”? I know I am, and in the meantime I’ll just keep in dreaming dreams of those catacombs…

My thanks go to www.iwholesales.co.uk for supplying the test sample, and you’ll find the Double Bell models on their regularly updated website. The TR-1 AEGs are available in two different lengths, and internationally I’ve seen them in two different colours, Black and a rather nice Tan/Bronze combo, so I hope these will be here soon too! AA

WINTER GEAR ESSENTIALS... USE THEM RIGHT!

DURING THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS BILL HAS BEEN TAKING A LOOK AT KIT WHICH IS SUITABLE FOR A LONGER DURATION GAME IN WINTER CONDITIONS, AND NOW HE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF HOW THIS CAN ALL BE PUT TOGETHER AND USED. WITH A BREAKDOWN OF HOW EVERYTHING WORKS TOGETHER, HE NOW MAKES USE OF HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE TO SHOW HOW YOU CAN USE IT EFFECTIVELY TO KEEP YOU AT FULL SPEED AND “IN THE GAME”.

As a keen bushcrafter, mountaineer, and part-time adventurer I’ve been lucky enough to experience the “big outdoors” in many of its myriad forms around this wonderful world of ours, and to this day nothing gives me greater pleasure than simply “being out there” with a pack on my back and a big open horizon in front of me. I’ve been lucky enough to work in the backwoods and mountains, to run leadership courses in rain forests, and to spend an entire month in British Columbia, Canada in the winter just doing my own thing, and all of these experiences (and more!) have instilled the personal mantra of “any fool can be uncomfortable”.

Without going into the specifics of full-on outdoor living skills (OLS) as they’re not applicable to this particular article I will return to that mantra again and again, as being “comfortable”, a relative term I grant you, is all important when it comes to enjoying an airsoft event or game of a longer duration, and of course what I want to do is illustrate how some of those skills can be pertinent to your enjoyment of a longer duration game in more challenging winter conditions!

When I’ve travelled overseas for airsoft events over the years, I’ve played on some pretty awesome urban sites, usually former military training areas, but on many occasions I’ve been lucky enough to play in

mountains, forests and valleys that are very different to my home environment, enjoying both the game itself and the spectacular surroundings.

Life was relatively simple as we travelled to the AO by vehicle and worked out of a fixed position; this usually meant fixed tents, cots, and basic amenities, so essentially all I had to do was throw down my sleeping bag and gear… good to go.

What I did have to contend with on my different airsoft adventures though, was different climatic conditions that have ranged from beltingly hot days in Florida to sub-zero nights in the Alps! I always research the climatic and weather conditions before I travel though, and try to be prepared for all eventualities.

And this, in a nutshell, is what being able to fully and effectively participate in a longer duration airsoft game is all about, and it’s an absolute joy to me that all those skills amassed in a “previous life” can now come to the fore as part of my “airsoft toolbox”. I actually relish the thought of being out for longer, all year round, and the combination of those outdoor living skills, thorough preparedness, and the thrill of dodging BBs all comes together in one big, happy package for me!

I believe that we’ve all heard the phrase “all the gear, no idea” and this is really, really true when it comes to “overnighters” when playing airsoft, and most especially during the winter! Yes, you can look at the list of “equipment ingredients” that are often provided in articles such as ours in this regular “Tactical Outdoor Development” column, but you also need to know how to use everything, and most importantly when. In many cases for longer (and here I mean multi-day) games you’ll be part of a larger unit, with unit command and (hopefully) unit cohesiveness. You’ll have at the very least a Squad or Team Leader (TL), who in turn will have a higher echelon to report to and take orders from, and a good TL will take much of the stress out of the situation, letting you get on with “business”.

SCENARIO TIME!

The easiest way for me to explain kit usage is to return to a format I’ve used before, and put it into a scenario. Let’s imagine you are part of a “BLUFOR” team that’s been inserted into an AO during the winter with the task of fixing and engaging with an enemy force, effectively a “Search, Fix, and Destroy” mission. The scenario calls for you to be in the field for two full days with one “operational” night in the field. You are part of a light infantry unit that’s tailor

made to cover ground fast and take the fight to the enemy.

First up you’re going to need that “gear hauler”, a pack that’s big enough to carry everything you need for the entire game; for me the Tasmanian Tiger RAID pack. You’ve established with “higher higher” that you will get a water replen during the course of the game, but other than that you’re on your own, so your pack needs to accommodate:

• Tent/Bivvy

• Kip Mat

• Sleeping Bag

• Stove (…and don’t forget the gas/fuel!)

• Utensils/Mug/Mess Tins

• Water bottle

• Food

• More food; you need to bomb up on calories in the cold!

• Map and Compass

• Sunscreen (believe me, this is still important in the winter!)

• Multi-tool/Penknife

• Head Torch

• First-Aid kit

• Main Compartment and Accessories Dry Bag

• Fleece/Midlayer Shirt or Jacket

• Waterproof Jacket and Trousers

• Insulated Jacket

• Gloves, Watch Cap/Beanie, and Thermal Gloves

• Spare Combat Trousers

• Spare Baselayers and Socks

• Wash Kit

Now some of the kit like a multi-tool and map/ compass may well be carried on your person or in your fighting order, but the fact is it all needs to be neatly stowed and logically accessible when you need it. With all of this on board we’ll get back to our scenario…

You’ve successfully infil’d to your AO and now you have the long patrol to your overnight “laager”, or “Laying Up Position” (LUP). This patrol will be tactical so you can’t be hauling carrier bags full of pot noodles and mars bars or bin liners containing your fleece-lined two person sleeping bag! Everything needs to be in your pack or bergen, keeping your hands free for the all-important task of actually carrying your rifle or carbine. If you come into contact whilst patrolling in you’ll need to swiftly respond and return fire before you think of ditching any gear!

Once you’ve made it most of the way to your

overnight LUP it’s likely that your TL will get you into some form of all-round defence whilst they go to recce the site itself. Done well your TL will then lead you tactically into that position indicating your defensive points and arcs of fire to be covered, all of this in total silence. Once the entire patrol is inside the LUP area a good TL will have everyone take up a defensive perimeter for a while before you start to get your shelters up and food on the go.

SETTING UP

You’re effectively behind enemy lines, in the winter! Night, and therefore the temperature, will be falling in a couple of hours, and of course everyone needs to be “stood to” for dusk, a favourite attack time for any enemy forces as the light starts to fade and “grey out”. Everything is quiet though so it’s time to get set up for the night ahead.

The fact is after being “stood to” to ensure the perimeter and surrounding area is safe and (relatively) quiet, your core temperature will have fallen considerably, and now is a prime example of where the “buddy system” comes into play; whilst your “buddy” is providing cover you can get to work! First up is getting a brew on both for you and your mate to get some much needed warmth into you both; you know how each other pack so you know where to find his mug. Get that brew on to provide a hot drink or better still a mug of soup for the both of you.

Whilst that water is boiling you can start to get your basha/tent up; half the basha/tent kit will be amongst your mate’s gear, so it really is vitally important that you pack your gear together. If you decide on a tent rather than a simple basha (recommended in the winter!) look for a model like the Snugpak Scorpion 3 I mentioned I’ve mentioned before that you can pitch single-handed. Once the tent is up, quickly get into your warmer, insulated gear and of course if you have wet garments or socks change those for dry ones!

Once the tent is up and you’ve sorted yourself out the water should be boiling, so take your mucker a brew. Relieve them from the defensive perimeter role and take over while they go and sort out their own clothing/gear, and warm up. They can then lay out kip mats and sleeping bags and get some hot food on the go while you keep watch.

Basically from this point on you’re good to go for the night, and once again your TL should be advising you as to the perimeter defence rotation throughout the hours of darkness until at dawn everyone stands

to again; in larger units the likelihood is that both you and your mate can get some shuteye, but in smaller units it’s worth considering carrying “group gear” even in winter to alleviate overall loading of your packs. Breaking down your LUP is simply the reverse of the night before, with everything back in your packs neatly in readiness to move out at the time your TL indicates, and of course after a good hot breakfast!

A couple of tips:

• Always keep your rifle/carbine with easy reach; never be more than an arms-length from it

• If you ditch your fighting order whilst putting up your tent the same applies

• Only ever unpack what you need at that moment, and once used return it to its rightful place

• Always keep your pack/bergen ready to go in case you get “bumped” and have to retreat from your LUP; you can always return to get any kit later when the area is secure

This is by no means a “bible” to follow blindly, just a few suggestions that should make you more effective in the field and allow you to fully enjoy the game or event based on my own experiences! It’s a system that’s worked for me all over the world in outdoor adventures, and one that I’ve transferred to airsoft by adding in some basic tactical doctrine.

At the end of the day though practising this outside an airsoft game can be huge fun, a chance to be with your mates in perhaps a stunning environment that also lets you learn the skills you need in a quieter way, and lets you get your kit and admin nailed before you need it when the BBs could be flying!

My thanks go to Bjorn and the crew for the images used here… one day I WILL get to go and play alongside him in the snow! AA

THE CAGE: SO HERE IT IS, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

AS WE GET EVER CLOSER TO THE SEASON OF GOOD CHEER THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS ARE GOING UP AGAIN AT AA HQ, AND WE’LL BE HANGING UP OUR STOCKINGS HOPING FOR SOME AIRSOFT GOODNESS TO ARRIVE FROM “TACTICAL SANTA! THIS MONTH IN THE CAGE WE THOUGHT WE’D AGAIN HAVE A LITTLE FUN, SO BILL GOT TOGETHER WITH THE LEGION AS USUAL TO ASK THEM WHAT WAS ON THEIR LETTER TO THE BIG BEARDY BLOKE!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2022 has been the start of things for all of us again, hasn’t it? We’ve at last come through the pandemic that dimmed our ability to play airsoft, although perhaps not our enthusiasm for our beloved game; there are still restrictions in place around the globe, but games of all shapes and sizes are most well and truly back as a fixture on all our calendars, and for that we should all be truly grateful!

Due to me taking over fully at the “editorial helm” of Airsoft Action, 2022 has been a bit of a “head down” year, and sadly that has meant I haven’t got out to all the games and events as much as I would truly wish to. It’s vitally important to me that all of us at Airsoft Action are active players, so I am really looking forward to getting to some games both at home and abroad in 2023! As I’ve said many times before I am lucky in that I have some private woodland where I test new AEGs and GBBs each

and every month, and there that I can sling BBs to my heart’s content, but ultimately there is nothing like getting out with my friends and getting in some proper skirmishing, is there?

But things have moved on, and Airsoft Action has moved on too, and will continue to do so! The team as a whole has put in a massive amount of effort to improve what we do every single month, and with new members of The Legion coming on board our global coverage will continue to grow. Our daily online news presence also continues to enlarge in scope, and there are plans for the coming year to increase the tempo of our coverage into some new formats… just like in-game, if you stay still, you’re dead, so we keep forging forwards! We hope to further extend our regular online coverage, but again, that’s a story for another time… suffice to say that I want to cement Airsoft Action at the top of the heap in the New Year.

Everyone in the airsoft industry and player community worldwide has been massively supportive, and once again I hope that the work we’ve done in 2022 has proved that Airsoft Action is now set to push on even further in 2023! With MOA, SHOT, and IWA all ahead of us (at the time I write this) there will again be new AEGs and GBBs to be shot, old ones to reflect back on, new tech to be evaluated, gear to be tested, events to attend, games to be played, and we will be reporting on as much of it as we possibly can!

My thanks go out to every single one of the tens of thousands of you that read Airsoft Action every month, and follow us online… without you we wouldn’t be pushing on again, and we hope that without us you’d be missing a very valuable airsoft resource that’s insightful, entertaining and above all, honest.

But let’s get to it! What do the members of the AA Legion really, really want for Christmas apart from surviving WHAMAGEDDON? I know there’s a couple of bits I would dearly love to see wrapped under the tree, but after many moons playing and building my airsoft armoury my needs are few! For me the best pressie has already arrived in the shape of something new from VORSK which I already love to bits and will be talking about in January, along with the VFC M110 which is utterly wonderful! I’m STILL hoping for a nice wood kit to really finish off my A&K PKM (still!), and some more VORSK gas would be nice as I seem to be spending more and more time using gas platforms!

Ultimately though I am looking forward to seeing as many of The Legion and Red Cell as possible in person this year as we can gather freely again, catching up with old friends, and spending some real quality time with my wife and dog… no doubt I will be putting in my usual, and now traditional, Boxing Day session at “the range in the woods”, and I will most certainly be looking forward to all the airsoft adventures that 2023 holds…

FESTIVE TEAM TALK!

So, at this happiest time of the year I gathered a festive table of good cheer from The members of The Legion, and asked them “What would you like to find Santa has left you for airsoft underneath your Christmas Tree? Is it a new AEG or GBB, some gucci tacticool gear, or simply a bag of BBs? Or are we all just wishing for World Peace like Gracie? Max $150 bucks…”

Boycie: I’d really like a ticket to a game day (where my mates are also attending) where it’s Santa’s v Elves game and strict costume rules apply. The Santa’s have to breach the North Pole toy store to fill their sleighs

and the Elves have to prevent the toys getting to the sleighs!

Stewbacca: New boots, probably the top of my list! My venerable Lowas have become vulnerable Lowas given the lack of tread left on large swathes of their soles, now worn to a polished flat by their constant use. Trying to find footwear in UK13 sizes was difficult enough in the UK. Taiwan? Not. Likely. Everything has to be care-packaged over. Or carried during emigration or visits.

Ben: I’d probably like £50 worth of BB’s as the minigun likes to spit them out and I’d put any other monies towards a bigger airtank haha!

Björn: A shortdot scope would be nice. But not sure if the “Christmas Budget” covers the range of scopes I’m looking at…

Miguel: Nothing fancy, but a tactical wallet would be good! Since mine is old and coming apart now!

Bill W-R: All I want for Christmas this year is for all the needed paperwork to be signed so I can reveal what is happening!

Dan: Under a $150... hmm, I don’t think that will quite afford me an HPA fill station lol! I really am just looking forward to having a laid back Christmas spending it with the wife and kids. It will be my youngest son’s first Christmas, so he’s going to be losing his ever-loving mind at all the presents he’s about to destroy!

Jimmy: This year I am looking forward to Christmas in my own home as last Christmas we didn’t have one. There are lots of airsoft related items that I desire but I shall just be happy to spend Christmas day with my lovely wife as this year she doesn’t have to work… certain things money can’t buy.

So, in closing, from all of us at Airsoft Action to all of you out there we wish you a Happy and Peaceful Christmas, and we look forward to meeting even more of you in 2023! AA

RED CELL

FALKLANDS

TO END 2022 BILL BRINGS IN A VERY SPECIAL EDITION OF RED CELL AS HE LOOKS BACK TO THE FALKLANDS WAR OF 1982, A YEAR THAT IS FIXED IN HIS MEMORY AND WILL BE FOREVER MORE, AND SUGGESTS A SELECTION OF FABULOUS AEGS AND GBBS THAT WOULD BE PERFECT FOR BOTH RE-ENACTMENT, “FALKLANDS INSPIRED” STYLE GAMES, OR INDEED ANY GAMES WITH A 1980’S THEME!

Ithought it would be remiss of Airsoft Action not to bring in a “special” as 2022 is the 40th Anniversary of the Falklands War, a conflict that pitched thoroughly modern forces against one another in a barren and windswept AO far from home for both! The operations during this short but bitter war have of course become legend; the skirmish at Top Malo House, South Georgia, the Pebble Island Raid, the tragedies of Bluff Cove and Goose Green, and of course the battles for Wireless Ridge, Longdon and Tumbledown.

As always I will avoid the politics of the conflict, but let us remember that the war itself involved young men not much older than many of you reading this, and it most certainly crystallised public opinion in both countries! The pictures of the Agrupación de Comandos Anfibios (Argentinian commandos) with their blackened faces, FAL PARAs, suppressed Sterlings (and possibly even the odd Uzi!) organising the surrender of Naval Party 8901 at Government House caused abject horror and disgust in the UK as the Argentinian flag was hoisted in place of the Union Jack.

That image has stuck with me to this day, as of course the Sterling SMG was a British Army weapon and the FAL was basically the SLR, models that I knew intimately from cadet range days, and it somehow added insult to injury that the Argentinian forces were using the self-same things to herd British sailors and Marines into captivity. As I found out in later years the Sterling was just one of the weapon systems that the

opposing forces shared, and much has been written about a war where opponents faced each other with exactly the same platforms, albeit the full-auto FAL for the Argentinians and the semi-auto SLR for the Brits.

Of course time moves on, and even though there is still bitterness amongst some of the former soldiers who fought in 1982 which I totally understand, a good few years back in 2007 a good friend of mine arranged a private “Falklands Game” for select invited players to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the fighting (where have the years gone?). Amongst those invited were a number of Falklands veterans who were all too keen to get stuck in again with their fairly new STAR L1A1 SLRs, but somehow it devolved to me to provide the OPFOR (strange that…) and I started collecting airsoft versions of all the weapons used in the conflict from both sides!

BATTLE RIFLES

The L1A1 SLR was a British variant of the Belgian FN FAL battle rifle, produced under licence. The L1A1 can trace its lineage back to the Allied Rifle Committee of the 1950s, whose intention was to introduce a single rifle and cartridge that would serve as standard issue for all NATO countries. The UK thought that if they adopted the Belgian FAL and the American 7.62 NATO cartridge that the United States would do the same, and adopted the L1A1 as a standard issue rifle in 1954. Of course, we know that the Americans went their own sweet way with the M14…

The L1A1 SLR incorporated modifications developed by the Allied Rifle Committee, and the weapons were manufactured by the Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield, Birmingham Small Arms, Royal Ordnance Factory and ROF Fazakerley; after the production run ceased, replacement components were made by Parker Hale Limited. The SLR was designed using Imperial measurements and included several changes from the standard FN FAL. A significant change from the original FAL was that the L1A1 operated in

“I WILL AVOID THE POLITICS OF THE CONFLICT, BUT LET US REMEMBER THAT THE WAR ITSELF INVOLVED YOUNG MEN NOT MUCH OLDER THAN MANY OF YOU READING THIS, AND IT MOST CERTAINLY CRYSTALLISED PUBLIC OPINION IN BOTH COUNTRIES!”

semi-automatic mode only, the MOD stating that every British rifleman was a trained marksman and would only take single, well aimed shots, and that support weapons such as the L4A1 LMG and L7A1 GPMG would provide significant fully automatic fire as needed.

The first run of the rifles were fitted with walnut furniture, consisting of the pistol grip, forward handguard, carrying handle and butt. The wood was treated with oil to protect it from moisture, but not varnished or polished. Later production weapons were produced with synthetic Maranyl furniture, a nylon and fiberglass composite. The Maranyl parts were “stippled” with an anti-slip texture. In addition to four lengths of butt, sized to suit individual users, there was also a special short butt designed for use with Arctic clothing or flak jackets such as those regularly seen in Northern Ireland. After the introduction of the Maranyl furniture, as extra supplies became available it was retrofitted to older rifles as they underwent armourers maintenance, and this resulted in a mixture of wooden and Maranyl furniture within units and often on the same rifle. Wooden furniture was still in use in some reserve units until 1989.

My current airsoft L1A1 is an ARES, and these thankfully are commonly available, but this is not the first time that a replica of the SLR has been seen in airsoft form as some years ago both King Arms and the STAR

Airsoft company issued a classic, semi-auto only version of it with synthetic furniture; in fact if you visit the STAR website you’ll still find a picture of the original model there! I was lucky enough to buy one of the originals and even then it felt as if I were returning to a younger life; my original is still with me to this day, although currently inoperable. A word of warning; the airsoft SLR does not open as the real thing does around the central pin behind the magazine well, and if you try to do this you’ll shatter the nozzle and damage the hop-up unit! Note to self; do not let non-airsoft savvy squaddie mates get their hands on your SLR as parts are still hard to come by!

STAR however, fragmented, and the SLR models became increasingly rare; many were tucked away in private collections not to see any airsoft action whatsoever. However in 2010 ARES Airsoft came into being (the AR in ARES is actually the same as in STAR just so you know…) and in December 2016 I finally got my hands on one of their “new” SLRs, and oh boy, it was an early Xmas for me! Some comment has

been made that the ARES SLR is slightly under-length; the real rifle came in at 1143mm/45inches and the replica is 1140mm/44.5inches so you’re going to have to be a total “stitch-bitch” to hold this against the ARES!

Other than this the replica SLR is EXACTLY as I remember it from my youth. A real SLR weighs in at 4.33kg/9.56lbs empty and the ARES at 3.790g/8.35lbs unloaded, so that again is not far off either. Externally the SLR is stunningly finished, and everything that should be metal is; the top cover is steel whilst the remainder is a high-quality zinc alloy. The “Maranyl” furniture is faithfully reproduced and feels great in the hand, and given the fact that the SLR is unconcerned with rail systems or add-ons it’s beautifully minimalist and slimline. Internally you have a reinforced metal gearbox, full steel gear set and a high torque flat motor so nothing there is going to let you down either!

magazine that comes with the rifle is perfect for its intended use, and the battery compartment in the butt holds even the largest of power packs, and is easily and swiftly accessed. Running on .20g RZR BBs I get a healthy average of 1.24Joule/366fps, a little lower than I’d hoped for, but respectable nonetheless. The rotary hop-up adjuster underneath the faux-bolt is extremely easy to set, and happily stays that way; I am very, very pleased to report that the accuracy and performance is absolutely first rate; this thing shoots like a laser!

Although I own a number of RIFs that are completely correct for the 1980’s the FAL has never been a rifle in airsoft form that I’ve liked to date. King Arms did a wonderful job of recreating the classic battle rifle as an AEG in terms of appearance (in fact they made a family of different FAL variants, and thankfully do so again), but I always found them to be fragile things. Of course I own one of them, a PARA model, but thanks to my good friend Ray at VFC I’m now the proud owner of their wonderful GBBR version so ably reviewed by Stewbacca and that is as solid as an airsoft rifle can be! If you want the lowdown on the VFC FAL then I will direct you to Issue 143 which is available in our Back Issues section on the website.

In terms of the real rifle though, online sources tell me: “

The FN FAL (Fusil Automatique Léger), is a battle rifle designed by Dieudonné Saive and Ernest Vervier and manufactured by Fabrique Nationale d’Herstal (FN Herstal). During the Cold War it was adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries, with the notable exception of the United States. It is one of the most widely used rifles in history, having been used by more than 90 countries.”

My initial search for an airsoft variant coincided with the sadly now-defunct Southern Airsoft Boot Fair where I laid my hands on an old King Arms FAL with a battery and four Mid-Cap magazines for £100 ...bargain! The FAL, though perfectly functional, had “THE

In terms of performance I the 120 BB midcap

obviously seen a long and hard “service life”; a “Para Carbine” version with the side-folding metal stock, it had definitely seen a few airsoft battles! Thankfully the internals proved to be in fine form; although the FAL looked a bit rough externally what the gearbox told me was that it hadn’t actually been used that much; my chance purchase actually began to look like even more of a bargain. After a complete strip-down and rebuild where I tightened everything up both internally and strengthened a few parts externally, thanks to some “horse trading” and a little forward thinking this entire project has cost me no more than UK£250 including some additional mid-cap magazines (I’m still searching for the elusive hi-cap!), and I’ve ended up with a very solid, and in my mind, highly attractive, Falklands-era correct carbine that performs very nicely.

As far as Argentine rifles go, the different models of the FAL are basically it, but from a “Brit” perspective you have a little more choice as the M16 was used extensively by The Royal Marines and more specialised units. There really is a LOT of history behind the M16 which I won’t go into here again, but for any airsofter having an early model in the collection really does encompass many eras and conflicts. Yes, of course it can be used for Vietnam themed games, but it also would be pretty correct for Cold War and Falkland War scenarios too.

I’ve seen many manufacturers have a crack at an early “M16” only to be let down by silly things like using the wrong pistol grip or handguard slip ring; although such things will only be noticed by a true “stitch bitch” once you see, you just can’t un-see!

The CYMA CM.009C rather pleasingly follows an original-ish feature set down to the smallest detail; it truly is a work of art and no little research has gone into getting things right, and at a great price too!

The CM.009C is fully made of good quality alloy, with only the pistol grip, butt, and handguard being made of a very nice matt black plastic. The metal parts, rather than just being a shoddily painted black are a deep black and grey mix. There are absolutely no trademarks so it’s a blank canvas for the reenactor.

Internally things are no less impressive. The hopup adjustment is exactly where you would expect

it to be, behind the fake bolt which is accessed by pulling back the charging handle; this benefits from the now-common “hold back” function that means the cover stays to the rear until you hit the bolt release which can be fun in game! The hop is a solid metal unit, and once set stays steadfastly in place. The rifle also benefits from CYMA’s new E-EDITION configuration that can handle higher-strength springs, and also ensures a super-snappy trigger response; this has been achieved thanks to the new, more durable gearbox parts such as a V2 gearbox with quick spring change system, a steel gear set with 8mm steel bushings and bearing spring guide, married up neatly to a high torque neodymium motor and processor unit with built-in MOSFET system. This really is an impressive rifle, not just for the money as it’s a steal in my opinion and even on a 7.4V though it really does crack away; bear in mind that most periodthemed airsoft games will have strict ammo limits and you’re going to want to stick on semi-auto anyway.

“I’VE

ARES L1A1 SLR

Price: iro UK£470.00 (£560.00 Wood Version)

Age: Three Years Weight: 3900g Length: 1160mm Magazine Capacity: 120, Hi-cap available Cold Chrono: 1.24Joule/366fps Hot Chrono: 1.31Joule/377fps Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW (but a bayonet is better!) Supplied By: www.iwholesales.co.uk

ARES L42A1

Price: iro UK£650.00 (with No32 Optic Replica)

Age: New Weight: 4385g Length: 1140mm Magazine Capacity: 35 Cold Chrono: 1.65 Joule/422fps Hot Chrono: 1.65 Joule/422fps Suppressor Compatibility: No Supplied By: www.iwholesales.co.uk

CYMA CM.009C MOSFET EDITION (M16)

Price: iro UK£280.00

Age: One Year Weight: 2640g Length: 998mm Magazine Capacity: 160, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 109 Joule/344fps Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.taiwangun.com

CYMA CM.009D MOSFET EDITION

Price: iro UK£190.00

Age: One Year Weight: 2520g Length: 770mm Magazine Capacity: 320, will accept all STANAG/AR Cold Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Hot Chrono: 1.07 Joule/340fps Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.taiwangun.com

S&T STERLING L2

Price: iro UK£320.00

Age: Four Years Weight: 2850g Length: 490 - 680mm Magazine Capacity: 110 and that’s your lot! Cold Chrono: 1.06Joule/339fps Hot Chrono: 1.06Joule/339fps Suppressor Compatibility: Nil! Supplied By: www.iwholesales.co.uk

S&T STERLING L34

Price: iro UK£400.00

Age: Four Years Weight: 3280g Length: 675mm/875mm Magazine Capacity: 110, still 110!

Cold Chrono: 1.06Joule/339fps Hot Chrono: 1.06Joule/339fps

Taclite Compatibility: Nope! Suppressor Compatibility: Integrated Suppressor Supplied By: www.iwholesales.co.uk

VFC LAR GBBR (FAL)

Price: iro UK£650.00

Age: New Weight: 3950g Length: 1095mm Magazine Capacity: 20

Cold Chrono: 1.49 Joule/401fps (semi only)

Hot Chrono: 1.64 Joule/421fps (semi only)

Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.vegaforce.com

KING ARMS FN FAL

Price: iro UK£300.00

Age: Old!

Weight: 3300g

Length: 970mm (“Para” variant)

Magazine Capacity: 90, Hi-cap available

Cold Chrono: 1.0 Joule/328fps

Hot Chrono: 1.02 Joule/332fps

Taclite Compatibility: Nope. Suppressor Compatibility: 14mm CCW Supplied By: www.fire-support.co.uk

TOKYO MARUI UZI

Price: iro UK£200.00 (original price!)

Age: VERY OLD! Weight: 1800g Length: 470/655 mm

Magazine Capacity: 40 (220 Hi-caps were available)

Cold Chrono: 0.63 Joule/262fps

Hot Chrono: 0.64 Joule/264fps

Taclite Compatibility: Hmmmm, possibly not. Suppressor Compatibility: VERY dedicated!!! Supplied By: www.fire-support.co.uk

ICS M3 (P.A.M.)

Price: iro UK£320.00

Age: Four Years Weight: 2370g Length: 587-763mm Magazine Capacity: 430 Cold Chrono: 0.89 Joule/311fps Hot Chrono: 0.89 Joule/311fps Suppressor Compatibility: Nada! Supplied By: www.fire-support.co.uk

WE AIRSOFT BROWNING HI POWER

Price: iro £140.00

Age: New

Weight: 580g

Length: 200mm

Magazine Capacity: 20+1

Cold Chrono: 0.73 Joule/281fps

Hot Chrono: 0.74 Joule/283fps

Holster Compatibility: Good (1958 Pattern Style)

Suppressor Compatibility: No Available From: www.nuprol.com

WE AIRSOFT 1911A1

Price: iro £90.00

Age: 10 years! Weight: 1200g Length: 218mm

Magazine Capacity: 15+1

Cold Chrono: 0.71 Joule/278fps

Hot Chrono: 0.71 Joule/278fps

Holster Compatibility: Good (US Style)

Suppressor Compatibility: No Available From: www.nuprol.com

The trigger is crisp and responsive. The metal 160 BB magazine is the short type first issued and feeds well.

There’s a very famous artists impression of a “Pebble Island Raid” SAS Trooper using an XM177E2, but to me at least it is still unclear if that particular weapon was in fact ever really used in the Falklands; one thing that I have learned from the Living History community though, is “never say never”, so if you already have an XM then go for it! But thankfully there IS a model, again in the CYMA “period range” that I find REALLY interesting, and that’s the CM.009D. This is an unusual carbine in that it looks nothing more than an XM with a longer barrel, but if you’re a gun bunny like me then it’s going to jump out as the Model 653/4! This was the final “all A1 Component” model in the Colt 600 Series, and the second carbine model created with the now almoststandard 14.5 inch barrel. This model was almost exclusively used by USSF, the Rangers and USN SEALs although there are couple of instances where it can be seen in use by UK Forces too!

Shown in various uniform reference books for the Falklands War, there’s a picture of a splendid chap called Hugh McManners, author of the book “Falklands Commando” and who was among the first of the British Special Forces to land on the Falkland Islands… and he’s carrying what is usually referred to as a “Colt Commando” but is to the best of my knowledge a Model 653/4.

The British Forces, such as the Royal Marines liked the “M16” series (in reality more

likely to be Colt export models such as the 711 and 715), as did the SAS from their time in the jungles of Borneo, so it would make sense that McManners as a member of 148 (Meiktila) Commando Forward Observation Battery and who I believe was predominantly a forward controller for both the SAS and SBS in the Falklands, would have carried a ligther carbine version from the same family… so, well done CYMA!

SMG

Going back to earlier “Falkland-inspired” games, whilst it was relatively easy for the “Brits” to throw on some DPM, a set of ’58, and grab their SLR things were a bit different for the “OPFOR”, but we settled in the main for plain green trousers, black hi-leg boots, Israeli parkas, and M1 helmets with a mishmash of largely US webbing thrown in, as even then the TEMPEX gear was hard to find! The obvious rifle choice for us was the King Arms FAL PARA, but as I also wanted to bring in some “commandos” and the Sterling was not easy to get hold of at the time, I looked around for another SMG that had been used and in found many references to the “P.A.M. 2”. To cut a long story short, the “P.A.M. 2” basically started life in 1954 as a variant of the U.S. M3A1 submachine gun. It was “redesigned” at the Argentine FMAP (Fábrica Militar de Armas Portátiles) factory and put into production the following year as the P.A.M. 1 (Pistola Ametrelladora Modelo 1).

Made of thinner-gauge steel than the “Grease Gun”, the P.A.M. 1 was rather bizarrely a 7/8 scale replica (see, it’s not just airsoft companies that do this!) of the U.S. weapon in 9mm Parabellum calibre but of course was lighter and had a higher rate of fire. In service, the P.A.M. 1’s thinner sheet steel receiver tended to overheat with extended firing, while the gun itself proved more difficult to control in automatic fire despite the smaller calibre. Problems with accidental discharges and accuracy with the P.A.M. 1 led to an improved selective-fire version with a grip safety on the magazine housing known as the P.A.M. 2, first introduced in 1963. Known by the troops as “La Engrasadora” or “the Greaser”, 47,688 P.A.M. 1 and P.A.M. 2 submachine guns were produced

“THERE’S A VERY FAMOUS ARTISTS IMPRESSION OF A “PEBBLE ISLAND RAID” SAS TROOPER USING AN XM177E2, BUT TO ME AT LEAST IT IS STILL UNCLEAR IF THAT PARTICULAR WEAPON WAS IN FACT EVER REALLY USED IN THE FALKLANDS; ONE THING THAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM THE LIVING HISTORY COMMUNITY THOUGH IS “NEVER SAY NEVER”, SO IF YOU ALREADY HAVE AN XM THEN GO FOR IT! ”

between 1955 and 1972. A number of P.A.M. 1 and P.A.M. 2 submachine guns were used by the Argentine Army during the Falkland Islands War, and captured examples were tested by British forces; some of these now reside as part of the permanent display in the Imperial War Museum in London.

For many reasons, as well as remembering that the “P.A.M. 2” had been used by the Argentinian Forces in 1982, when ICS released their “Grease Gun” it was immediately on my “must have” list. The ICS M3 submachine gun is a great addition to their WW2 family of airsoft guns, and of course stands in brilliantly for an Argentinian P.A.M. 2! The M3 was designed by ICS from scratch with careful attention to detail and quality, and their M3 features a steel strip adjustable stock that has two settings and the magazine catch and simple sights are manufactured from metal stamping. The finish on the majority of the alloy-bodied replica is a matt black paint, which is totally in keeping with the ‘cheapness’ of the real thing!

The build quality is actually excellent, and everything is metal that would be on the original, barring the ‘bolt cover’. The body is aluminium rather than steel which is actually a plus for weight and rusting issues as mine is mostly held “on display”. Compared to what we’re used to with modern models, the controls are minimalist; there’s the magazine

release which is very positive, and the cocking lever on the right side of the action functions to open the fake bolt and allow access to the M4 style HOP, decompress the spring and act as the safety. It’s full auto only (unlike the P.A.M. 2 ), so it’s the ideal tool for sweeping and clearing. However, sites that operate a single shot only rule in very close contact will mean you need to swap out to a sidearm in that type of situation. It chrono’s at 0.89 Joule/311fps on a .20g BB and offers great range, and despite the short barrel it’s more than a match for most guns in the woods and definitely good for CQB where full-auto is allowed.

One model of SMG I have never managed to find in airsoft form is the PA-3 DM, but to give another period-correct airsoft option with a albeit a somewhat tenuous link I picked up a an S&T Beretta M12; this was somewhat shunned by the Italian military, but it did however find favour amongst buyers across Latin America who lined up to get their hands on the sleek Italian SMG! S&T did a REALLY bang-on job in replicating this iconic little SMG, and although they’re now quite hard to find once you have one in your hands you can immediately feel just why it was so sought after! The design, with the forward pistol grip feels most distinctly “modern”, and if you’re used to using a CQB-length AR it will

feel very, very natural. The fire-selector on the right of the receiver and directly above the trigger is also familiar in this respect, although the angles for “Safe, semi, and Auto” are slightly different.

All parts that should be metal are metal apart from the pistol grip group and this gives the S&T M12 a real “heft”, weighing in as it does at 2.2670kg; to give an indication the real M12 weighs 3.0kg so this is pretty good in replica terms. The airsoft version comes in at 411mm (stock folded)/660mm (stock open) as opposed to 418mm/645mm so once again it’s a pretty good representation. S&T use their own “M12S gearbox” which I’m told can be a little tricky to work on (just like their Sterling!) but a simple short axle motor. The hop-up is of the rotary type and located under the cover of the ejection port which is accessed by pulling back the cocking handle as normal. The M12 is designed for use with a 7.4V LiPo which is tucked away neatly in the forward pistol grip and accessed by sliding a catch on the base forward.

When all is said and done the S&T M12 is a right little lovely, fits in with my “OPFOR theme”, and I have to say that I was really pleased to finally got my hands on one. A big bonus is that it shares magazines, a 50 BB model as standard, with both the MP40 and STEN so if you already have either of those you can share mags between models; that also means of course that

there’s a 300 BB model available for just over a tenner if you search round!

I mentioned it in passing earlier, and the Uzi for me is one of the “must have” airsoft replicas out there as it genuinely is such an iconic firearm; the very first Uzi submachine gun was designed by Major Uziel Gal in the late 1940s, and the prototype was finished in 1950. First introduced to IDF Special Forces in 1954, the weapon was placed into general issue two years later. Now there are some very hazy images of what appears to be the Uzi in the hands of the specialist Argentinian Buzo Tactico (literal translation “Tactical Divers”) in the Falklands, but of course that could have been the PA-3 DM… but hey, it’s airsoft, and I love the TM Uzi!

Introduced at the back end of 1998, the TM Uzi was a long-awaited replica that proved an immediate hit with airsofters around the globe. With an EG1000R motor, and a completely unique V5 gearbox and piston design, the Uzi also offered a small amount of recoil/blowback vibration for added realism which TM christened “the recoil shock system. Metal parts include the upper receiver, muzzle, trigger, magazine release, cocking lever, and folding stock; the stock itself is an absolute work of art, functioning exactly like the real thing, and is surprisingly solid if not exactly comfortable once it’s deployed. The plastic parts are made up of what back in 1998 was the revolutionary “PCV Engineer Plastic” which is highly durable; in fact if I look at my Uzi today the plastic parts have actually aged better than the metal!

So, is the old TM Uzi still any good as a skirmisher I hear you ask? Well, as a CQB tool it’s absolutely ideal as just like the real thing it comes with semi and full auto functionality; it also has a working grip safety which means even if you have it off safe it still won’t fire until you depress this. It’s relatively lowpowered at just 0.55 Joule/245fps on a .20g BB, so again just perfect for CQB as it’s also super-accurate. With a relatively low power output

“THE UZI FOR ME IS ONE OF THE “MUST HAVE” AIRSOFT REPLICAS OUT THERE AS IT GENUINELY IS SUCH AN ICONIC FIREARM; THE VERY FIRST UZI SUBMACHINE GUN WAS DESIGNED BY MAJOR UZIEL GAL IN THE LATE 1940S, AND THE PROTOTYPE WAS FINISHED IN 1950.”

and a short 244mm inner barrel you’d probably be thinking that when it comes to outdoor games things would go a little south, but I can absolutely assure you that this is by no means the case! Admitted, you’re not ever going to get the range of even a half-way decent modern M4 but I’ve taken scalps out to 30 meters plus with it, so it’s no lightweight; in the close confines of the fern-beds we often encountered in- game it was absolutely, 100% the right tool for the job.

The Sterling of course is rather better known to most of us! Based on the Patchett machine carbine first produced in the 1940s, the Sterling L2A1/C1 first entered service with the British and Canadian forces in 1953, and was produced in the UK by the Dagenham based Sterling Armament Company. The Royal Ordnance Factories also manufactured the Sterling purely for the British Forces, and over 400,000 were produced. Going through minor modifications the L2A2, and finally L2A3 had a long and distinguished service career until it was finally phased out in 1994 when the L85A1 was fully introduced. There was also a suppressed version of the Sterling, the L34A1, which was used to some effect by the ASASR and NZSAS

during the Vietnam War, and in this context, by the Argentinians!

The S&T Sterlings (both standard and suppressed) are very true to the original and this has been cleverly achieved. S&T Airsoft make use of many high quality parts in putting the Sterling together, and internally the cylinder looks very familiar although discreet changes have obviously been made. The battery is housed in the rear of the Sterling and the compartment is easily accessed by simply popping off the rear end-cap with the stock folded; it’s a small space and I can see why this will have been a problem before LiPo batteries; the battery compartment accommodates up to an 80mm long and 30mm wide battery so something like the NP Power 1200mah 7.4v 30c LiPo PEQ15 Micro Type is a perfect match.

Once everything is set up correctly the standard L2 Sterling is a great to shoot, sending BBs out with a nice, flat trajectory, which I hadn’t expected from such a short inner barrel, and the suppressed L34 is even better! The accuracy of both overall is excellent, with nice tight groupings achieved out to 25 and 30m on the open sights. The Sterling’s both chrono at 1.06Joule/339fps now that they’ve settled in which is perfectly respectable and pretty much site-friendly everywhere. The standard L2 Sterling is absolutely perfect as a CQB tool given its short length and the fact that unlike the older Action Airsoft model it does have safe and semi settings as well as full auto!

“ONCE EVERYTHING IS SET UP CORRECTLY THE STANDARD L2 STERLING IS A GREAT TO SHOOT, SENDING BBS OUT WITH A NICE, FLAT TRAJECTORY, WHICH I HADN’T EXPECTED FROM SUCH A SHORT INNER BARREL, AND THE SUPPRESSED L34 IS EVEN BETTER!”

PISTOLS

Enter one of the most amazing gunsmiths to have lived, John Moses Browning! Browning was an American firearms designer who developed many varieties of military and civilian firearms, cartridges, and mechanisms, many of which are still in use around the world to this day (the M1911 pistol, the water-cooled M1917, the air-cooled M1919, and M2 machine gun, the Browning Automatic Rifle, and the Browning Auto-5 to name just a selection of the best known). He is rightly regarded as one of the most successful firearm designers of the 19th and 20th centuries, and pioneered the development of modern automatic and semi-automatic firearms.

After testing that started as far back as 1907, the legendary Colt M1911 was adopted and went on to serve as the standard-issue sidearm for the United States Armed Forces from 1911 to 1986. It was widely used in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and as the Ballester–Molina it was carried by the Argentine forces in the Falklands! Designed and built by the Argentine company Hispano Argentina Fábrica de Automóviles SA (HAFDASA), the Ballester–Molina was basically a cheaper alternative to the “Sistema Colt Modelo 1927”, itself a licensed copy of the Colt M1911A1, built under the supervision of Colt engineers!

Of course when it comes to period-1911 GBB pistols then you can take your pick, but mine will always be the WE “A1”… this fine airsoft pistol has been with me well over 10 years now and with some very basic maintenance and a couple of new magazines shoots just as well (if not better!) than it did as new. Okay, the slide is a little “loose” and rattley now, but it shoots well, and has NEVER let me down. It is not an expensive replica, and mine still chrono’s at 0.71 Joule/278fps on a .20g, and at up to 10m it’s accurate as hell… what more could you want?

And to conclude we come back to John Browning for UK forces, as following the success of the M1911

Firearms, he was forced to create another entirely unique pistol! Browning built two different prototypes for the project and filed the patent for this pistol in the United States on 28 June 1923, granted on 22 February 1927, although sadly he never lived to see this as he passed away in 1926. By 1934 after some further tinkering by designer Dieudonné Saive, the Hi-Power was complete and ready to be produced in 9mm with the famous 13 round magazine.

The pistol is often referred to as an HP (for “HiPower” or “High-Power”), GP (for the French term, “Grande Puissance”), BAP (Browning Automatic Pistol), or BHP (Browning High-Power). The terms P-35 and HP-35 are also used, based on the introduction of the pistol in 1935; most often though it is simply known as the “Hi-Power”. It was adopted post-WWII as the standard service pistol by over 50 armies in 93 countries, and at one time most NATO nations used it, and it was standard issue to forces throughout the British Commonwealth, including the British forces during the Falklands War as the L9.

As I said, In terms of manufacturers you can really take your pick when it comes to the 1911, as just like in the “real world” the design is a total favourite amongst airsofters. Sadly the Hi-Power is

“WHEN IT COMES TO PERIOD-1911 GBB PISTOLS THEN YOU CAN TAKE YOUR PICK, BUT MINE WILL ALWAYS BE THE WE “A1”… THIS FINE AIRSOFT PISTOL HAS BEEN WITH ME WELL OVER 10 YEARS NOW AND WITH SOME VERY BASIC MAINTENANCE AND A COUPLE OF NEW MAGAZINES SHOOTS JUST AS WELL (IF NOT BETTER!) THAN IT DID AS NEW.”

a different story. For one of the most widely issued and long-serving pistols ever it’s a tough one to get hold of in airsoft form! I do own a pair of old Tanaka “Heavyweight” Hi-Powers, but sadly these plastic models, although lovely, have been gifted to Jimmy for “project work”. WE again produce a functional Browning but this is of the “Inglis” Canadian style with the raised adjustable rear sight; don’t get me wrong, this is a passable airsoft pistol but unfortunately for we Brits it’s not an “L9”.

WE had been teasing us with a model that was more akin to the “GP-35/ L9” but although this has now become a reality, it is still not a valid airsoft skirmish pistol due to ongoing internal issues (mine is currently languishing with Jimmy awaiting a rebuild…). I do find this strange given just how good their classic 1911 is, and I hope in time that we can rectify the fundamental failings of their GBB Browning although I’m not holding my breath. Luckily some time back I was able to have my original WE “Inglis” reworked by Matt at Skunk Airsoft Works, and this was also retrofitted with some MOD grips so it works for my 80’s loadouts, and has proved to be a workmanlike GBB!

I do hope that someone out there will make a properly good Browning L9 Hi Power, and it’s high time that a manufacturer created another cracking little Uzi AEG, although props to North East Airsoft for their GBB version! The FN MAG/GPMG is doable for the “support gun lovers” amongst you, but I have to say I would truly love to see a good L4A1 LMG as I carried one myself all through my cadet years! Of course there is now another fabulous “Falklands Correct” rifle choice for the snipers out there with the introduction by ARES of their L42A1 that I swooned over in Issue 142 (again available in Back Issues on the website), and one of these will most definitely go into my collection in due course!

Bottom line is that 40 years on there are now far more AEGs and GBBs suitable for a “Falklands inspired” loadout than ever before… and as VFC have just dropped their M3 “Charlie G” it looks like there are thankfully more yet to come! AA

Red Cell is supported by:

INTEGRATED AIRSOFT

MIGUEL IS BACK AGAIN THIS MONTH TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING QUITE UNIQUE, TECH THAT LETS GAME ORGANISERS REALLY GET A HANDLE ON ACHIEVING GAME ORGANISATION THAT IS TRULY “NEXT LEVEL”. HE’S MENTIONED ARES ALPHA BEFORE IN HIS GAME REPORTS, BUT NOW OPENS THE LID ON SOME LOGISTICS TECH THAT IS SIMPLY STUNNING!

Sometimes a great tool comes along to help those who organise or command factions in events. I’ve been in both situations and I know that any help is welcome, so when Ares Alpha started appearing in games that I attend I noticed how useful it was, and so far I’ve seen it being used in many games that the GHOST’s attend, from smaller skirmishes to larger, full-on MilSim games.

Having seen this excellent logistics tech in action I spoke to the people behind Ares Alpha to learn a bit more about the App and maybe even get a peek into its future; I ended up speaking with Gabriel and Alex and they were both enthusiastic to talk about and very helpful indeed. This is what they had to tell me so that I could share with you!

AA: For those who don’t know, what is Ares Alpha?

“Ares Alpha it’s an integrated airsoft platform which covers both players and event organiser needs. We have an Android/iOS application, a website and several electronic props. It brings real-time position of the players, a hierarchical chain of command, mission updates from the game organiser, as well as transmission of information to the team leaders on the battlefield. The props are fully integrated in Ares Alpha platform and also can be tracked in real time by game players.”

AA: What is the main goal of the App?

“Our main goal it’s to bring airsoft games to the next level of interactivity for the players. As for the

event organisers, we believe Ares Alpha gives the opportunity to organise events with tons of new features. Also, large scale events require a very good management of players and game itself, so Ares Alpha also covers this part.”

AA: How did Ares Alpha came to be?

“The Ares Alpha story begins in 2019. As airsoft players and organisers, we tried to bring something real new to airsoft games. Since we didn’t find any app or airsoft props to cover our needs, we decided to give it a try. It started as a small app for our club, and since the feedback was excellent, we started to focus on the development. It took us almost a year to publish it on Android and Apple platforms, but by the end of 2019 we had an up-and-running airsoft platform. In 2020 we will also start building electronic props, fully integrated with the app. Players all over the world helped us with feedback to improve Ares Alpha with every upgrade.”

AA: The next question is a 3-staged one. What can we expect and benefit from Ares Alpha, first as a player, second as a faction commander, and lastly as an organization?

“As a player you can use the Ares Alpha application to track your teammates in real time, objectives and game score. Also, you can see all battlefield POIs marked by faction commanders or game masters, call for medics, check team points in real time, or use in-game perks. We are aware that nobody wants to check his phone every minute on the battlefield, so Ares Alpha uses real time notifications, even for connected smart bands.

“Team management is a decisive factor for winning an airsoft game, especially in large airsoft events. For faction commanders, the real time position of the players is invaluable information. Ares Alpha gives the possibility to organise the teams on

hierarchical levels from General (faction commander), Company leader, Platoon leader, Squad leader to simple Soldier. On events with hundreds of players, generals can filter the Ares Alpha map by ranks, or search for specific players. Generals can add POI’s directly on the map to mark zones for attack or defence; all players from his team will receive real time notifications with the new orders. Combining this feature with radio communication gives the general the upper hand on the battlefield.

“The Event/Game organiser will use the Ares Alpha platform to create his event in advance. He can create a custom map for his event, build the teams, add useful PDF documents for the players or add in-game perks.

“Perks are very powerful features, and it deserves a separate article! You can use UAVs, EMPs, points, cyber thefts, etc. For example, you can add UAVs in the game to give the possibility for one team to track enemy positions in real time, or use in-game points to create a ranking system for the teams and players. The

organiser can also add or hide new objectives on the map in real time, to keep the dynamic of the game on a high level.

“Ares Alpha platform has a module for club management and players profiles. Clubs can manage their members, expenses and revenues, or send invitations to other players. All Ares Alpha users have their own profile page, where they can add their replicas, equipment, and general information.

“We are aware that all these features can be overwhelming in the beginning! This is why we are working closely with new event organisers on the first big events. Ares Alpha was used on well-known events as Bellum or Berget, and the feedback was really great. We hope that in 2023 we will see Ares Alpha at as many events as possible!”

AA: How do you plan to develop the system in other countries?

“Ares Alpha it’s available in all countries for download, but the available language is only English. We had a lot of requests to localise it for other languages and for the future we are taking this into consideration.”

AA: We have seen some gadgets that work together with Ares Alpha, tell us about them.

“We have two main electronic props, each with some variations: ATB (Ares Tactical Box) and ATS (Ares Target System)

“ATB is a tactical box which can be used as a stand-alone device, or be fully integrated on the Ares Alpha app. It comes in two versions, Mini and Pro, the last one can be used by four teams simultaneously. It has different game modes: domination mode, bomb mode or mobile respawn mode. All these game modes are integrated with Ares Alpha, so players

can check on real time when the bomb was armed, or a region on the map it’s dominated by a team or another. Also, each ATB brings points for the teams, so can be used as a rank system device.

“ATS is an advanced electronic target, which records all BB’s hits. Like ATB, it has several game modes, shield mode for a vehicle, domination mode for a fixed POI, flip mode for fast games, etc. All these features are reflected on the Ares Alpha app to add more game interactivity for players. It has magnetic feet that allow it to be attached to vehicles or other metallic surfaces.

“All our electronic props come with unique and helpful features, GPS for tracking on the map, 4G modem to connect it in real time to the Ares Alpha platform, and firmware update to add new game modes, or fix any software bugs. Management of the props is made directly from the phone.”

AA: What can we expect from you in the near future?

“On the Ares Alpha application we have a long backlog for requested features such as waypoints, maps, chat/text commands from Generals, MGRS maps, language packs, new perks, and a lot more. As the 2022 season closes, we will try this winter to implement as many features as possible.

“As for the electronic props, our lips are sealed, all we can say it’s that we have been working on something new for the past few months! Stay tuned, we promise you will be surprised!”

AA: Thanks so much for talking to us and we look forward to reporting on developments as they happen in a future report!

For anyone interested in ARES ALPHA, check out www.ares-alpha.com! AA

OLD SKOOL COOL... NEW SKOOL TRICKS!

IN HIS

Being a steadfast fan of KWA and their excellent AEG 2.5 / 3.0 system, one of the things I have always wished for was a proper fixed carry handle upper to create some ‘old school’ builds with the last round cutoff function and recoil. To my knowledge, this is something KWA has never offered, even amongst their original G2X series of AEG’s. While they have had a few carry handle models in inventory, they are of the more modern detachable variety, so are therefore unsuitable for replicating older designs such as the M16A1, A2 and XM177 seriesnot to forget other notables like the GAU-5, CAR-15 and Colt 733.

The modding community has come up with some creative solutions in the past to create fixed carry handle uppers for the KWA platform. The traditional method has been to purchase a G&P upper receiver and cut off the handle flush with the top of the receiver. The KWA receiver itself is still retained, but

here one will have to remove most of the picatinny rail, then through a combination of drilling, tapping, affixing screws and epoxy, mate the G&P carry handle and KWA upper together. After which, an extensive amount of sanding is necessary to seamlessly blend the two components together, finally followed by a complete refinish of the upper. No small amount of work, to say the least of it!

I stumbled upon an alternative method completely by happenstance: one of my customers was attempting to slide a CYMA XM177E2 upper onto his KWA VM4A1 lower, which I had previously built in a “Dissipator” style build for him. Unfortunately he had firmly gotten it stuck halfway on there and requested my assistance in removing it and modding it to fit, if possible. If not, we’d just revert the gun back to the Dissipator build and call it a day. Once I had the rifle on my bench, I managed to tap it apart with some careful prodding with a nylon hammer.

RED CELL SPECIAL THIS MONTH BILL MENTIONS THE XM177, A CARBINE THAT WAS A VITAL BUILDING BLOCK IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE M4 THAT WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE TODAY! HOWEVER, DAN HAS NEVER BEEN TOTALLY HAPPY WITH THE “XM AEGS” ON OFFER FOR AIRSOFT, SO DECIDED TO GO ABOUT CREATING ONE OF HIS OWN, AND NOW HE SHARES THE DETAILS OF A STUNNING BUILD!

The mock bolt cover was naturally destroyed in the process, but upon closer look, the CYMA upper was remarkably close to fitting the KWA lower. There were just some minor variances to overcome. After a couple of hours of work, I had managed to mate the upper and lower together, and even replaced the mock bolt and had it operating wonderfully. After this successful venture, the bug was firmly planted and I was determined to build a complete XM177E2, a model that I have always been a fan of as an early version of the now ubiquitous M4.

selected this particular model because it has the single-side traditional metal selector and standard charging handle assembly in lieu of the ambidextrous components found on the newer KWA platforms.

A CYMA XM177E2 was purchased so I could pull the upper receiver off for the build. It’s a bit unfortunate that I have to buy a complete rifle to do this modification, but as a second-hand “boneyard” donor the CYMA’s are quite affordable and selling the rest of the unused components off easily recoups the initial investment made.

On my second iteration, I realized I had made a little more work for myself than was necessary when it came to modifying the CYMA upper to fit. After refining my technique a bit, the amount of modification required is divided approximately 50/50 between the upper and lower receivers, with just a tiny

A TALE OF TWO AEGS

For the subsequent build, I selected the KWA RM4A1 ERG to use as the base to work off of. This version uses the AEG 3.0 gearbox with the last round cutoff function and features KWA’s robust recoil system. I also

bit of material having to be removed from the top of the gearbox where the charging handle spring attaches. Much like the original KWA upper, the CYMA receiver has a pair of tabs on the back that index into the lower to prevent the assembly from being able to swing off. In unmodified form, these tabs were hitting the back of the KWA receiver and preventing things from fully sliding together.

The easy option would be to thin down those tabs, but I believe it would create a weakness and thin tabs would be more prone to snapping off if the gun was ever dropped or bumped hard against something, which would result in having to bin the receiver. Since the lower receiver

“THE MOCK BOLT COVER WAS NATURALLY DESTROYED IN THE PROCESS, BUT UPON CLOSER LOOK, THE CYMA UPPER WAS REMARKABLY CLOSE TO FITTING THE KWA LOWER. THERE WERE JUST SOME MINOR VARIANCES TO OVERCOME.”

has a lot of material around the buffer tube area, it makes more sense to modify this area for clearance and retain the full strength of the tabs. 30 minutes of some careful Dremel work and a milling bit whipped it out and it’s solid as can be!

in thickness of the front lug that the pushpin slides through. KWA’s lug is a fair bit thicker, so a pair of shims needs to be epoxied to the lower to fill in the gap to either side. This will prevent the upper from being able to be pushed side-to-side otherwise, which would result in the hop up chamber getting misaligned. After that, it’s pretty much ready to have a gearbox and barrel installed. Overall, the scope of modifications is significantly easier and far less time consuming than the old method.

During the course of modifications, I elected to change out a few items from the CYMA upper for some better components. Namely the delta ring was swapped to a KWA delta ring. These are the best looking and best fitting ones on the market, in my humble opinion. Oddly, the CYMA comes fitted with the more modern larger diameter handguards, such as would be found on the M4 carbine.

There is also some extra material inside the upper that needs to be thinned down so it will slide over the thicker gearbox casing the KWA uses; in this case, the reinforcements on the front of the gearbox are the main things that need clearance. As previously mentioned, there is also a small little tab on the very tip of the charging handle spring retainer that needs to be filed off too. Otherwise this will drag on the inside of the receiver and make it difficult to slide the assemblies together. One thing to note is the KWA charging handle assembly and mock bolt are retained, so the CYMA parts will need to be removed from the upper before attempting installation.

The only other item that needs to be addressed is the difference

I procured a set of correct real steel slim-style handguards with heat shields to replace these. I also switched out the front handguard retainer with a KWA version,

though I plan to see about modifying a real version to fit in its place at some point. These changes all made for a much more rigid front end and eliminated the previous handguard wobble that was there with the CYMA components.

to KWA, so the correct type would have to be manufactured entirely from scratch… which would be no small expense! Despite a dearth of laser shops here in the US, I have so far been unable to find a company willing to take on the task of deep engraving the lower with proper Colt trades and markings. KWA’s factory markings are very minimalistic on this lower, at least, and it fortunately doesn’t have the ugly “B.A.M.F.” markings and skull logo that the CYMA came with.

PERFORMANCE, FIRST AND ALWAYS!

Moving to the back of the gun, a real steel replica CAR-15 fiber stock from B5 Systems replaced the CYMA version. I was hoping to find an original Colt aluminum stock, but the rarity of this item and the skyrocketing price on the secondhand market makes it bit of a hard pill to swallow. I did retain the smooth A1 style grip from the CYMA, which does the job well. I’m not especially a fan of the A2 grip, with it’s annoying finger ridge and sharper angle, but the A1 sits neatly between reasonably comfortable and distinctively retro.

There are, of course, some minor aesthetic discrepancies to be taken care of still. The buffer tube and the castle nut would be one of those. These are a proprietary size unique

So with the external side largely completed, I popped open the hood of our XM and installed some performance upgrades next! One of the things the aftermarket has sadly neglected to provide for this series of AEG’s is a proper MOSFET trigger, or even an ETU. We don’t even have the luxury of a drop-in Electronic Trigger Unit from Gate, despite the ERG system outnumbering Tokyo Marui’s NGRS by an easy 10:1 in the US! Typically, an inline-style MOSFET

“I

BUT THE RARITY OF THIS ITEM AND THE

PRICE ON THE SECONDHAND MARKET MAKES IT BIT OF A HARD PILL TO SWALLOW.”

is your only real option for these, and they have to be installed in an area that can properly house the dimensions of the unit. Since the buffer tube on this gun is entirely consumed by the recoil piston assembly, and the stock doesn’t have provisions for housing a battery, this AEG would have to be front-wired. The slim style hand guards are also limited on battery space, so this precludes using some of the larger MOSFET’s such as the Gate WARFET.

Following up on a hunch I’ve had for some years now, I decided to see about modifying an Acetech AceMOS MOSFET to fit. This is a simple and reliable unit that comes pre-installed to a standard Ver. 2 trigger switch. Users familiar with VFC’s Avalon MOSFET trigger will certainly note the uncanny resemblance… which perhaps begs the question: who is supplying who?

In any case, after some careful eyeballing I determined it could be made to fit the AEG 3.0 gearbox. The KWA trigger switch itself would have to be retained, as that is proprietary, so I carefully desoldered the wires from the AceMOS and removed the PCB board from the Ver. 2 switch. A couple of minor modifications were necessary to make the board fit within the space constraints of the shell next, after which it was glued to the KWA switch housing. I fashioned a pair of custom trigger contacts so they could be soldered to the correction locations on the board. Fortunately the AEG 3.0 gearbox already has a pass-through hole for front wiring (a carryover from the old PTS RM4 days) so no shell modifications were required here. Up where the Tamiya plug end would sit is a bit of a bulky PCB board that acts as a fuse holder. This was removed and redone with a Deans plug and a condensed 30A fuse assembly. There is just enough room to install an 11.1v 1200mah tri-panel LiPo in this area still.

Owing to the smaller battery capacity we are left dealing with, it makes perfect sense to install a Warhead brushless motor to help this build reduce amp draw significantly. This will allow it to run cooler and more efficiently, without stressing the smaller batteries by exceeding their maximum safe amperage draw. With the Warhead motor, I was able to reduce amperage draw to an operating level of just 9.5 amps. The rest of the gearbox was outfitted with an Angel Custom Kratos piston, Lonex POM piston head, 70D AirPad, Lonex cylinder head, Retro Arms CNC air nozzle and SHS 18.65:1 gears. The proverbial ‘icing on the cake’ was the addition of a Ulysses recoil kit. This is a CNC’d steel recoil weight that also features an adjustable spring guide for fine tuning FPS, very similar in concept to the VPS system that KWA uses.

This is designed to improve the felt recoil impulse over the stock assembly; and I will say it does exactly that! I’ve fitted it with an Eagle6 NGRS M110 spring to bring the FPS up to nominal US field velocity of just under 400 FPS.

Since I wanted to be able to use KWA magazines with the last round cutoff feature, I opted to retain the stock hop up chamber. This was outfitted with a Lambda 6.05 stainless steel barrel and R-Hop. While I would absolutely love to have some actual 20 round style aluminum midcaps with cutoff capability, no such options exist. I will have to content myself with the small handful of KWA ST60’s for now. Unfortunately these have been long discontinued, so they are pretty much veritable unicorns now.

While I am not particularly into “NamSoft” and opportunities to partake of such events are few to almost non-existent (to the extent that I no longer own any Vietnam themed kit), this was approached more as something fun to build and one of those items I’ve always wanted to scratch off my personal checklist. This rifle came out phenomenally solid, and even weighs within a few ounces of the real XM177E2. It kicks hard, shoots far, and feels positively lithe in the hands. I’m more than pleased with the performance and aesthetic outcome of this build and will certainly enjoy using it at future skirmishes! AA

BACK IN THE GROOVE!

AS ALWAYS STEWBACCA IS A GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT IN TERMS OF AIRSOFT-RELATED ENDURANCE, SO AS SOON AS HE RETURNED TO TAIWAN FROM JAPAN AND THE KRYTAC OWNER’S MEETING HE WENT OUT SKIRMISHING THAT WEEKEND, AND THEN RETURNED TO THE COMPETITION CIRCUIT THE WEEKEND AFTER, FOR THE FINAL OF THREE HEATS IN THE SANCHONG SHOOTING CENTRE SHOOTER’S CUP, SPPT’S HOME STOMPING GROUND AND HOST TO MOST COMPETITIONS HE’S BEEN INVOLVED IN!

As 2022 draws to a close and with my escapades in Japan having been concluded, MOA on the horizon (it will have already happened by the time you read this!), and further pistol and rifle Level 3 competition in Kaohsiung and then the IDPA nationals to cover on Christmas Day once again… the magic never ends towards the end of this year! To be fair I’m not a particular fan of Xmas so I’d rather be doing shooting-related anyway. Having lost out on attending second Action Air competition heat around July earlier this year due to the ankle embuggerance I suffered up in the hills of Xindian in the south of Taipei (while putting together my LCT LK53 EBB AEG review!) my hopes of running around merrily on shooting stages were dashed!

I was therefore glad to be back to competing, and also finally had my KJ Works CZ75 Shadow 2 back to excellent working order thanks to the support of Clarence Lai and all his upgrade components (as covered in September issue No. 141). Having had a little time to practise with it and zero in the sights, my marksmanship scores were at least redeemed somewhat.

So, backpack in tow I arrived early doors on Sunday the 20th of November at the Shooting Centre not far from my place and my favourite gun shop, and began preparing my equipment and registering for the ensuing Level 1 third heat; another five stages of mischief split over the course of two short stages in the morning, a medium length stage before lunch, and a further medium then long stage to finish off after returning from lunch.

This time the number of competitors in total was 26 according to the books, with 11 shooters competing for production division, 6 in standard, and 9 in open; evidently the weighting is leaning towards duty guns without all the bells and whistles more recently, which increased the competition stacked against me (lots of familiar faces as always, and a few new ones!) all of them excellent company and fine shooters. The banter and jovial but supportive

atmosphere was in usual full-swing after we all arrived and reconnected, some of us having not seen each other since the start of the year in some cases.

STAGE 1: PLEASE TO BE SEATED!

The first stage was a simple short affair of 4 papers, 3 poppers, 1 no shoot and the ending plate, 11+1 rounds and 55 possible points; the shooter had to deposit all their magazines on the desk in front of

them and then their pistol in Condition 3, then take a seat and prepare to shoot the whole stage from that position.

With the dreaded vertical railings obstruction between the shooter and the rest of the stage, as well as obstructions to the flanks that forced you to shift position left and right to reach the symmetrical low obscured popper, high paper target and twin targets at the front with a no shoot sandwiched between them and a single popper in front of them with the stop plate behind and above them… as always, it sounds simple enough… unfortunately I managed to have a horrible stoppage on my run after the first couple of BBs and had a double feed that I tried to remedy and induced a triple feed, which I then dumped out the ejection port, before carrying on and then needing to reload with having lost so many BBs in the stoppage.

In retrospect I should have dropped the mag and reloaded immediately and ditched the loose BBs and solved the situation, but, fluster@^# and whatnot. Not a great start, 18.99 seconds, 8 alphas, 2 charlies and a miss on the rear right paper after the malfunction… that put me dead last of the pack for that stage.

STAGE 2: TIP OF THE SPEAR

This was another short and fairly simple symmetrical stage; the shooter starting at the tip of an arrowhead shape with the legs extending forward to the left

and right, with obstructions along both legs forcing you to run far left and right in turn to access the target arrays on both sides, consisting of a popper, low paper and then high paper across the diagonal on each side, and a lone popper in the centre flanked by the stop plate at the far centre rear. 4 papers, 3 poppers, 1 ending - again, 11+1 shots, 55 points, with a condition 2 start.

This I fared much better in, slap bang in the middle of the pack, with 49 points - 12.48 seconds, 8 alphas and 3 charlies. I was much happier with that at least, although perhaps I need to be moving faster and transitioning targets more rapidly; I guess I’m pretty rusty this year due to work and other commitments getting in the way of Tuesday drill sessions.

STAGE 5: PICK A LANE!

This was actually shot third… I know… Just prior to lunch we broke down the first and second adjacent stages and quickly assembled the third stage to be shot before we headed off for fodder fun-times! Stage number 5 was a shooting gallery style affair with three separate lanes divided by obstruction walls along their lengths with tables in each on which to deposit your magazines. The shooter had to move between each lane and engage the targets with a forced reload between each one, with a penalty awarded per each shot for those who failed to do so.

The majority of shooters did a basic left to right shuffle, with the left lane comprising a high right paper close in, high centre paper at the rear and twin poppers at its base, the centre lane having twin poppers in the centre flanked by a lateral wall hiding a noshoot obstructed paper behind and above, flanked by two open papers (one each side), and the stop plate above and slightly to the right. This was visible from the right bay at least, and the right bay being the mirror of the left with a high close left paper, far centre high paper and twin poppers at its base. 7 papers, 6 poppers, 1 no “IN

shoot and the ending plate, 100 points available and a Condition 3 start. 19.69 seconds, 14 alphas and 6 charlies; I was pretty happy with that, and it put me dead centre of the pack again with 88 points -my accuracy managed to put me ahead of the next competitor who was faster but sloppier, at least.

PASTA LA VISTA BABY

Lunchtime arrived and we escaped a little early once the SPPT squad had finished shooting prior to the other remaining shooters finishing, giving us a little more time for a leisurely lunch. We ventured across the road to the local pasta place and had a decent chow-down before retiring to the upper floor of the 7-11 nearby to engulf some ice creams; yes, it is still in the mid to high twenties in Taiwan, despite allegedly being heading into winter, and it’s always hot work running around in the relatively small

space with a lot of shooters in it too. Nevertheless, as half one rolled around we found our way back to the centre and re-donned our gun belts and reloaded our magazines ready for the afternoon’s stages.

“WE VENTURED ACROSS THE ROAD TO THE LOCAL PASTA PLACE AND HAD A DECENT CHOWDOWN BEFORE RETIRING TO THE UPPER FLOOR OF THE 7-11 NEARBY TO ENGULF SOME ICE CREAMS; YES, IT IS STILL IN THE MID TO HIGH TWENTIES IN TAIWAN, DESPITE ALLEGEDLY BEING HEADING INTO WINTER”

STAGE 4: RABBIT WARREN

The fourth stage was a little more involved; 13 paper targets (two of which were obstructed behind cover and on swinging arms tripped by poppers), 6 poppers in total, 2 no shoots and the ending plate…32+1 shots, condition 1 start, 160 points total.

A few different approaches were taken by shooters as the layout was two bays to the left, one behind the other, the front one having a high right paper, lone central popper and a further popper to the left tripping and exposing a swinging paper… with a side-wall opening further along to allow access into the rear left bay, which had a similar arrangement to the bay in front but the high target was obstructed behind prison bars, with a corridor next to these that you started halfway down with a large front central bay split into two rear angled smaller bays accessible from the left and right openings with two high papers each, and a front section that required left-centreright stances to access the angled no shoot obstructed papers within its corners and lone central popper!

With a further corridor to the right, both corridors opened out into the space leading to the far rear bay that also had obstructions forcing the shooter to use

at least two different positions to reach the targets presented; a lone central popper, a high paper left and right, and a low paper behind the barricade flanking the popper and the stop plate being to its right and visible from the front central bay too.

I worked left to right, shooting the first two targets in the angled central rear bay to the right of my starting point, then retreating to take on the front left bay, before moving right to do the centre front, swinging round the right corridor and shooting the two papers in the right rear of the front bay, and moving across its rear to the rear left bay, then heading along the front of the back bay engaging the targets there and finishing after 26.72 seconds, with 26 alphas and 6 charlies; 148 points, pretty happy with that all told, especially given some of the target distances and presentations, and once again dead middle of the pack in 6th place.

STAGE 3: TO THE WINDOW, TO THE WALL

And yes, Stage 3 was shot…shot fifth… This was the finale and the longest and most awkward stage for

“I WORKED LEFT TO RIGHT, SHOOTING THE FIRST TWO TARGETS IN THE ANGLED CENTRAL REAR BAY TO THE RIGHT OF MY STARTING POINT, THEN RETREATING TO TAKE ON THE FRONT LEFT BAY, BEFORE MOVING RIGHT TO DO THE CENTRE FRONT, SWINGING ROUND THE RIGHT CORRIDOR AND SHOOTING THE TWO PAPERS IN THE RIGHT REAR OF THE FRONT BAY”

me, 10 papers, 2 steels, 2 no shoots, and the ending plate; 110 points and a Condition 1 start, all of which was hidden along the length of the most of the room with us moving left and right along its long axis as opposed to all the other stages.

There was also a near-full-width barricade concealing the entire stage from the fault line area except for an opening at each end and a few windows along the middle, one of which was covered by twin doors that needed punching open!

Starting at the middle of the barricades with a window either side of you and the door closed on to your upper right at a slight angle, there was a low paper visible through the left window, and a low no shoot obstructed paper visible through the one around to the right of you, as well as further paper

A costly 2 misses, once again scuppering myself on the final stage like previous such endeavours in earlier competitions. 23.12 seconds, 17 alphas, 3 charlies… and those 2 misses… it was all going so well, until it wasn’t!

I take solace in the fact I still managed to finish 8th with 74 points thanks to being faster than the following shooters, so I guess my marksmanship capabilities are strong, it’s the stage planning and not forgetting those damned well-hidden targets that needs work. No deltas, no no-shoots all day, just alphas and charlies, and 3 misses and a stoppage. I can’t really complain all that much given that I haven’t had as much chance to train, have only recently regained my primary race gun, and have barely used my TMC STAGE electronic training targets since my

targets and a popper at the rear wall visible through the window behind the doors, and two papers visible at the two open ends of the barricade. This also allowed access to the ending plate at the rear.

And then there was the far right hidden paper only visible from the far left window, which of course I forgot to engage after noticing it in my stage plan.

earlier review of them in Issue No. 131 Nov 2021!

At least when I remember to shoot the targets I’m drilling the centre zones even at reasonable distances, I just need to get running and target transitioning faster but maintain that accuracy!

With all the competitors finished and the final stage broken down we chilled out as the results were “STARTING AT THE MIDDLE OF THE BARRICADES WITH A WINDOW EITHER SIDE OF YOU AND THE DOOR CLOSED ON TO YOUR UPPER RIGHT AT A SLIGHT ANGLE, THERE WAS A LOW PAPER VISIBLE THROUGH THE LEFT WINDOW, AND A LOW NO SHOOT OBSTRUCTED PAPER VISIBLE THROUGH THE ONE AROUND TO THE RIGHT OF YOU, AS WELL AS FURTHER PAPER TARGETS AND A POPPER AT THE REAR WALL VISIBLE THROUGH THE WINDOW BEHIND THE DOORS”

tabulated; in the end I took 8th place out of 11 overall in Production division, not a complete loss given the horrendous stoppage and missed target of the first and last stages dragging my scores down significantly.

For the most part I was middle of the pack throughout, Team Spring Rain’s Zheng JiaHua took first place, with Liu SiXi taking second and Team Yamars’ Zhou TingYu taking third place.

Standard division saw Tema Yamars’ Cai YuQi taking first place, Team Spring Rain’s leader Zhan DengXiong taking second, and our own SPPT’s latest addition Ou JiaCheng ‘TacticalCat’ storming into third place, hot on the heels of qualifying in TPSA Action Air, and not long after qualifying expert in carry optics in the USA using real steel pistols for the first time under the tutelage of Frank ‘the tank’ Xu, a US based Taiwanese real steel master; excellent work!

Finally the open division was once again taken by team Yamar’s Hou BoXian in first, Shi JiaHao taking second place, and Liu JiaYu taking third place. With all that dealt with we took the obligatory team and RO photos, said our goodbyes and dissolved into the now darkened skies outside after a full day of shooting fun.

Many thanks as always to Chris and James of the Shooting Centre for organising the day, as well as the TPSA RO staff for running the stages. AA

“THE OPEN DIVISION WAS ONCE AGAIN TAKEN BY

TEAM YAMAR’S HOU BOXIAN

IN FIRST, SHI JIAHAO TAKING SECOND PLACE, AND LIU JIAYU TAKING THIRD PLACE. WITH ALL THAT DEALT WITH WE TOOK THE OBLIGATORY TEAM AND RO PHOTOS, SAID OUR GOODBYES AND DISSOLVED INTO THE NOW DARKENED SKIES OUTSIDE AFTER A FULL DAY OF SHOOTING FUN.”

A BATTLESHIP WITHOUT A TIDE!

WE’RE ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED THAT THE AA LEGION IS CONTINUING TO GROW, AS THAT MEANS WE CAN BRING YOU EVEN MORE STORIES FROM OUR SHARED WIDE-WORLD OF AIRSOFT! LARRI IN HONG KONG HAS BECOME A MUCH-VALUED CORE MEMBER OF THE TEAM, AND CONTINUES TO DELIGHT US, AND WE HOPE YOU, WITH HIS REPORTS ON SOME VERY UNIQUE AND EXCITING PLACES TO PLAY!

Talking about our shared love of the airsoft experience, I’m sure that we have all tried the “kill house” style, warehouse theme, or country-based theme site. This time, I would love to introduce a very brand new theme I have never seen on an airsoft site… until now! What I have to share with you this month is a battleship-themed site that makes you feel like you are inside the depths of a warship for your CQB action, no matter if it’s a team death match or a mission game like rescuing hostages it brings you an ultra-realistic CQB experience!

The venue is in Quarry Bay, which is the first time I’ve seen an airsoft venue on Hong Kong Island since I focus on CQB airsoft; usually, I need thirty minutes’ drive to an airsoft venue and now it only takes me FIVE minutes to get there. It is very convenient for Hong Kong Island residents or anyone who has booked accommodation around the area.

To bring players an ultra-realistic experience, the decoration and scene-setting is always a huge part of the site as a whole. Tact Zone, who is also the owner of War Zone that I have covered before, is dedicated to surprising the players with great props and decoration, and all the major decorations here are not paintings or stickers, they are real ship parts!

LAYOUT

This site has one game zone only which is based on the battleship layout, and once we entered the game zone, we saw immediately lots of ship lights, buoys, and lifesaving vests on the wall, and for the gamestart announcement, the guys even got a Ship’s Bell! This is very different from other game sites using

All buttons and levers can be pressed, which gives the players the real feeling of having a battleship mission. With such great decorations, the venue has a game mode called “The Bridge”, which is a mission game that requires players to reach the control room and push a specific lever as the objective.

The layout inside offers two major routes; one side is a large canteen with benches, tables, and food trays. If you are a speedy player, it is a great place to challenge your maximum speed to put pressure on your enemies. The other section is a combination of rooms, with the section of the middle room, containing a kitchen with stove, refrigerators, and “galley equipment”. The briefing room has benches, and a presentation desk which is not easy to bypass as an obstacle, and the medic room has two medic beds which makes a narrow path; however, right after that, there is a shower room which is great for defending… although I don’t think anyone will bring their shampoo there!

The other linked room has been combined with a bedroom that has several bunk beds; it is a very tricky location, as your enemy can stay hidden there, and make good use of the dark corners, so all searching has to be more thorough in any game mode.

Finally, there is a storage room, which is completely dark, with several locations to provide cover fire from a shelf, and in my opinion, breaking through that room is the most challenging in the venue. There are lockable doors in each room, and this is a very smart move for venue design. As each adjustment comes, each time with a different door locked it creates another experience. On our second visit to the venue, the

medic room was locked, which makes the whole assault planning from three major routes become a long tunnel for the search mission.

We believe that some more new covers and obstacles are added time by time to enhance the theme, this is impressive as a customer.

BEHIND THE SCENES

We were very happy that we had invited to try the site by the operation Manager, Gabriel Leung. He has eighteen years of experience in airsoft, including his IPSC journey, which makes him understand how customers behave in a CQB environment; his target shooting, and also his video filming skill are also excellent!

We wondered why he had such a brand new idea for the theme, as he also manages War Zone and provides his knowledge of venue themes. He told us that the location-based scenery is already done at War Zone, and this time is about building an airsoft venue like a structure based on the theme since the site is located near the seaside.

This strengthened his resolve to propose the “warship” idea, and with the strategic partnership of Landing Zone (Another Airsoft Venue in Hong Kong) detail-setting was based on player feedback to build a great, totally unique venue.

While building this place, the toughest part would be decoration sourcing, as they are so keen to build it with real parts; parts like the engine and control panel were not just built by a contractor, they have been sourced one by one for sale at the docks, and hopefully players will enjoy all these details and the effort they spent to create this ultra-realistic airsoft experience.

Finally, in his opinion the airsoft industry, it is a very strong community hobby, even though we have had a pandemic situation, the market itself has grown with a lot of new players willing to experience airsoft, especially school, corporate team building events, and so on. With such a “baby boom” in the market, he strongly believes that it is possible to grow this to become an even more popular sport in Hong Kong, and the owner shares the same vision; there will be another airsoft venue opening in Hong Kong, which is located inside a shopping mall at the end of 2022!

In my opinion, a place with good air conditioners is always a great place, since Hong Kong is always hot and humid. For a memorable CQB experience, where section of the rooms are constantly challenging your skills and guts, it is more important to clear the room with your teammate instead of the lone wolf play style.

Thanks to my good friend Indigo for taking the pictures shown here, and for those who are interested in UBCA action in Tact Zone, please feel free to check our first Tact Zone video at https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah5rgdtEKzI AA

OUR LAMENTATIONS ABOUT CONTINUED CANCELLATIONS AND DISRUPTIONS AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC HAVE BEEN AS STORIED AND TYPICAL AS THOSE OF EVERYONE ELSE, BUT THANKFULLY RESTRICTIONS SEEM TO BE SUBSIDING AND BECOMING A THING OF THE PAST! WITH MUCH OF THE WORLD AND EVEN THE MOST TIGHTLY SECURED PARTS OF ASIA FINALLY OPENING UP ONCE MORE, STEWBACCA MADE GOOD ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND FIND OUT WHAT ALL THE PAST INTRIGUE REGARDING THE LAYLAX/KRYTAC OWNER’S MEETING IN JAPAN WAS ALL ABOUT!

I’ve been threatening to visit Japan for longer than

I care to remember, at least since I took an interest in the language, largely as a result of airsoft and my pressing need to better understand Tokyo Marui’s cryptic manuals! Taking night classes in my final year of university and the year following graduation, as well as working during my summers away from university studies in a Japanese-owned aerospace bearing factory in my hometown to fund my ever worsening airsoft habit, I slowly built my knowledge and skills in manufacturing, along with a flegling understanding of the language.

I guess things finally came full circle for me and with the further easing of quarantine and travel restrictions, and I felt extremely lucky in getting a spot at the LayLax/Krytac Owner’s meeting as well as booking my flights the morning before Taiwan and Japan announced their final full reopening and visa free unrestricted access quarantine less travel opportunities… I just booked my flights before the rush and the price spike, it seems!

Having had such a long term yearning to see the Land of the Rising Sun, but always having had mainland China-related trips get in the way for various reasons in the past, I was beyond excited to finally have a plan in place to make landfall on the spiritual and technical home of all things airsoft related. My hosts were the crew

well-known and respected brand with an ever growing team of people who are not only expert in what they do, but dedicated to innovation and bringing the end user components and products that fulfil their needs and turn already good base products and airsoft guns from OEM companies into powerhouses on the skirmish field, with their Prometheus range of barrels and HOP buckings being a typical first port of call or trusted go-to for many an airsoft tech the world over. But there’s also an ever-growing line of soft goods, tactical gear solutions and niche products that really solve some of those tiresome issues airsofters face on a continuing basis.

Co-hosts of course were Krytac, the in house airsoft sub-brand of Kriss USA, the people who brought us the real steel VECTOR recoil-mitigating submachine gun and aside from the airsoft AEG variant of their well known and loved PDW/ SMG leviathan, Krytac as a sub-brand have also brought to market licensed FN P90 AEG PDWs with collaborations with other industry names such as Evike Manufacturing Group and Cybergun, as well as their more recently announced SilencerCo Maxim 9 replica shock entry into the GBB pistol arena… which I’ll be getting more hands on with in the longer term, and which I’m personally extremely excited

“HAVING HAD SUCH A LONG TERM YEARNING TO SEE THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN, BUT ALWAYS HAVING HAD MAINLAND CHINA-RELATED TRIPS GET IN THE WAY FOR VARIOUS REASONS IN THE PAST, I WAS BEYOND EXCITED TO FINALLY HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO MAKE LANDFALL ON THE SPIRITUAL AND TECHNICAL HOME OF ALL THINGS AIRSOFT RELATED.”

about.

So, what do two such industry leaders do to capitalise on such strong brands and near cult-level followings within the Japanese domestic and wider international markets? Throw an epic party… with airsoft guns, skirmishing, competitions, giveaways, an on-site marketplace, and an excuse for players to engage in their favourite cosplay shenanigans and show off their custom Krytac gun builds! Akin to the National Airsoft Festival held in the UK every August Bank Holiday, the LayLax/Krytac Owner’s Meeting (KOM) is one of the highlights of Asia’s airsoft (or ‘survival games’ as they are known out here in various languages) scene.

With around 200 players from Japan attending as well as a handful of industry insiders, internationally renowned influencers and yours truly tagging along to see what was going down, the KOM is definitely worth more than a cursory report, especially given that 2022’s ‘volume 5’ was the first returning event following ‘rona restrictions ruining everyone’s fun.

SHOOTERS ASSEMBLE!

I travelled out a few days prior to the main event, held at Tokyo ‘sa-ba-ge’ park (Japanese short form for ‘survival games’) in Chiba to the east of Tokyo central, with Jonothan of Airsoftology fame flying out from Taiwan on the same day but a different flight, as well as Scott and Alan of Landwarrior Airsoft representing the Scottish/UK contingent and obviously their business interests as one of the UK’s trusted key distributors of all things airsoft related.

Prior to our arrival Norah and Romain (Nonocat AND Thunderspear),the duo behind New Zealand’s ASGC retail and social media representation, had already arrived and settled into their own sightseeing schedule, along with Kevin (RandomGuyKev), and Scott and his cameraman

Iosephus (the guys behind USAirsoft) from the states who had also been in country a few days covering local airsoft shops and the scene before we landed.

Alongside these well-known figures in the industry and especially the social media side of things, Evike representatives Matt, George, Maria, Danny and Wilson, as well as Krytac’s team of (uncle) Allen, Mytch and Randall were all attending as more behind the scenes types to take part in not only the festivities themselves, but obviously the all-important organisation, media coverage and underlying business that supports the whole endeavour as well as ultimately putting the quality goods in the hands of the enthusiastic end users.

We were all greeted and taken very good care of thanks to the LayLax international team in the form of Masaki, Ryan and Marck who are all no doubt well known to those of you in the community, and along with their wider support teams had the unenviable task of organising the event itself as well as the arrangements for everyone travelling in and staying for the week or two in country to support their individual media efforts and reporting! A typical Sunday skirmish is often likened to ‘herding cats’ so god knows what these guys and the wider LayLax team have to endure to pull off an awesome event of such domestic proportions, let alone keep all the other international elements and components in motion!

Suffice to say, they acquitted themselves excellently and delivered a great experience for everyone involved, especially us first timers. GETTING

Saturday 5th of November the international media and business teams began amassing in our hotel lobby ready to ship out in salvos carried to the Tokyo Sa-bage park by van along with all our supporting camera, protective and tactical gear - many of us would indeed be taking an active role in the shooting festivities, and eagerly so, myself included!

Arriving on site we began setting up our personal equipment and allocating borrowed airsoft guns from the LayLax pool available; getting our own guns into Japan is just a nightmare nobody wants to deal with, after all, and of course we wanted to keep things on brand in terms of the selection of guns and gear used! I ended up with the EMG Cybergun Krytac FN P90 AEG, a call-back to my very first game of airsoft all those years ago, and a long overdue return to the familiar form factor and handling of one of my alltime favourite guns; love it or hate it, FN nailed the ergonomics and anthropometrics with their bullpup PDW platform.

The game site itself is fairly expansive, with a main arena off to one end that is bisected by an overhead catwalk ideal for marshals and photographers or videographers to oversee the action ongoing below. With the field itself comprising of one side with CQB style distributed shipping containers with window cutouts, barricade arrangements, abandoned vehicles and even tower structures to hide amongst, while the other half of the arena is a more ‘sandbox’-esque array of overgrown Hesco sangars filled with rubble around which to fire and manoeuvre on the enemy lines. Both sections are accessible by limited corridor chokepoints linking the two halves of the arena under the aforementioned catwalk, all of which makes for a fairly complex floor plan and plenty of angles to consider both when attacking and defending.

As the sun began moving higher in the sky more and more enthusiastic participants were arriving on site, parking their vehicles and setting up their gear or wandering around the marketplace section between the Safezone and main playing area; this was populated by myriad local shops or custom gun workshops displaying their wares from guns, gear, patches, memorabilia and everything else in between an airsofter could find to spend their money on! I managed to meet a few faces I’ve known for a while through social media including Mayo (gotohmayo)

who has her own design house and shop for patches, street wear and various airsoft accessories and is known for her gameplay at Japan’s BLK FOX SpeedQB style arena among other exploits.

Also attending was Japan’s poster girl for Krytac, the petite but boundlessly energetic and pleasant Saoreane (saoreana_airsoft) who’s not only an avid VECTOR lover and airsofter with her own branded accessories and kit shop, but also a fellow teacher moonlighting as a shooter, and a great friend of the Krytac team. The very well known and loved, both in Japan and the wider airsoft community, Lilly (lillianemoo) also rocked up in her epic flatbed backed JEEP with her cute Beagle in tow and began blogging her experience on site before prepping with the rest of us ready to get stuck into the action. I was also very happy to bump into Itsuya (Itsuya_miridoru) who I hadn’t seen for years since her last trip to Taiwan when we saw her at the Combat King Monthly Hooha show in Kaohsiung prior to the COVID dark times and her starting a family.

Mason (Maydaysann) had also joined the group the night before at our hotel and was helpfully lending out some of his gear to our international team as well as engaging in his trademark high energy and humour escapades, which of course we all ended up getting involved in later on as well.

MAKING THEIR MILLION (YEN)!

With all of the domestic participants cycling through the chrono station and sighting in their guns on the multi-lane range provided, we began a bit of a familiarisation exercise, walking the site and checking out the small team competition assault course that groups of five players could enter in the hope of taking away the coveted million Yen prize money for fastest completion time; this involved the whole five man squad starting in a Polaris all terrain buggy and the driver flooring it along one side of the course before turning right into a demarcated parking spot, and the team swiftly debussing.

All competitors then had to run the gauntlet of ‘crocodile teeth’ style staggered opposing 45-degree angled jumping pad stages to make it to the platform on the other side where one elected player would then moonwalk a rolling stack of drums filled with

“THE GAME SITE ITSELF IS FAIRLY EXPANSIVE, WITH A MAIN ARENA OFF TO ONE END THAT IS BISECTED BY AN OVERHEAD CATWALK IDEAL FOR MARSHALS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS OR VIDEOGRAPHERS TO OVERSEE THE ACTION ONGOING BELOW.”

sand along wooden rails between platforms without slipping off before the next two elected players could perform tandem beam walking while engaging small circular targets on posts to their sides as they progressed. Next all competitors had to make it through a wide low-slung camo net obstacle before the final elected contestant clambered up the stairs to the platform

which had to be completed as quickly as possible and had to be under two minutes to even be in the final running!

Throughout the day we also availed ourselves of ample refreshments thanks to the on-site diner caravan as well as the police SWAT van that turned up in the early morning and turned out to actually be a cunningly disguised chow wagon distributing

complimentary burgers, hotdogs and even parfait treats to the clamouring hungry queues; damned good food, and much appreciated by all it seemed… not all heroes wear capes!

With all the preparations made we all gathered at the entrance of the main game area for the festivities to be officially opened, with LayLax’s COO Nomura-sama (no.63landshark) and the site operator kicking off proceedings by emerging from a container to great fanfare sporting hilariously oversized Kriss VECTORs with ultra-long rails, all finished in gold colour overall! The welcomes were made, site and competition rules covered and the Masaki introduced the international team while everyone took photos and videos and we had some nice group shots taken thanks to the official photographer teams. With that the games began! Our international squad would be filtering in to one of the themed game modes to cause as much trouble for the opposing team as we could muster; the ‘gold rush’ game sees players not only trying to survive the onslaught of flying plastic dealt out by their opponents, but also collect as many ‘nuggets’ of gold from the ground as possible in the form of the plastic spherical casings common to many coin operated toy vending machines. Those of us playing donned our gear and guns and got ready for a forty minute long infinite-regen deathmatch which saw us stretching our teamwork abilities and using fire and manoeuvre across both halves of the arena as best we could.

We were playing into the setting sun which made seeing red dots and the opposing players a bit harder,

as well as ‘foggles’ becoming an even harder issue to overcome, but nonetheless we went to work with gusto and there were plenty of photos and video snapshots of us usual suspects rolling around corners, through vehicles, containers and ducking behind Hescos as you would expect when you throw overexcited foreigners into the mix of local players and seeing plenty of enthusiastic and honourable play from both sides, just the way it should be.

RUNNING AND GUNNING

Running the EMG Cybergun Krytac FN P90 with a trio of magazines wedged in to my own JPC style rig with thanks to LayLax’s SMG and AR ‘Bite Mag’ hard shell pouches, I was throwing down firepower gleefully to a pretty decent range, but still managed to expend a few full reloads during the long game; this required me to duck out to our team re-arming station just outside the gamezone entrance while the action continued in earnest. All in all it was great fun not only trying different guns and gear than I’m used to, but also getting thrown in the deep end of another country’s gaming style, and playing alongside some great names and faces I’d only just met in person despite knowing each other for longer online. The game wore on and we began to wear out;

despite being noticeably cooler than Taiwan’s usual temperature and humidity range I was nonetheless dripping wet in my typical fashion, and we were making sure to stay hydrated throughout as well as taking every opportunity outside the wire to clear our lenses and make sure the GoPros or other devices were all keeping track of our action for the inevitable videos to follow later.

As the main game came to a close we felt like we’d acquitted ourselves fairly well; I came out with a good few welts from the able marksmanship of the local players, and despite the lower power levels of Japan’s airsoft legal limits, the rapid strings of fire found their mark, evidently I’m a big walking target wherever I go!

Following this a few rounds of smaller team deathmatches were arranged just for us in the CQB half of the arena after all the other players had retired to finish competing in the time trial challenge, duelling contest

assault course run and saw pairs of players facing off against each other, with two pairs of plate targets attached to twin Texas stars on a connecting beam being prepared for each player who then started back to back. On the

GO signal both players had to clear the four targets off their plate arrangements as fast as they could before turning and shooting their opponent in the back before they had a chance to finish their own plates off.

With our smaller mini-tournament I teamed up with Scott, Alan, Mason, and Norah and we ran a good squad offence but neglected to protect our team’s ‘flag’ button at our spawn the first round; Mason and I got some great CQB clearing teamwork under our belts at least, and made it all the way to the other team’s base just as they hit ours for the flag. Lesson learnt, Scott hung back the next round to run defence while Mason and I ran off and Norah stalked around in her silent fashion and ran interference, dropping more than a few of the OpFor from cover. We had

a great time making use of that half of the site with much less traffic so to speak and really got to try out the different angles and play off against each other

INTO THE SETTING SUN

As the sun finally drifted behind the distant Hescos and treeline we called it a day and headed back to the staging area to safe our guns and strip off our gear, especially with mine being typically dank following my exertion, before reassembling at the small stage in front of the gamezone entrance for the closing remarks, announcement of the competition winners, and the customary raffling off of numerous shiny toys and accessories. Many happy faces went home heavier an AEG or GBB among other treats that day!

Following the closing of festivities we began packing everything up and chatting while awaiting the van to return us to the hotel in the same salvo system as before; I went in the last lot and had a good chance to continue chatting to people before they left, and hung out with the Krytac crowd to talk about their business and products; I’m looking forward to having more to share regarding all that in the longer term! With everyone shuttled back to the hotel we all showered and tidied ourselves up ready for the team dinner at one of the nearby restaurants, complete with surprise birthday cake and toasting for Alan!

So, that was my first experience of the LayLax/ Krytac Owner’s Meeting coming to a close; an excellent and well organised event that for the most part ran smoothly despite the sheer numbers of players and things in motion, and a great opportunity to meet and greet the local player base and personalities I hadn’t had chance to see in person beforehand. But that’s just the beginning of our escapades in Japan over the course of our stay, so I’ll have more to touch on in a follow-up report!

Many thanks as always to the organisers and particularly the LayLax team for the obvious amount of effort, patience and resources they must have to invest to accomplish something of such scale and success; it was much appreciated by everyone! AA

“MASON AND I GOT SOME GREAT CQB CLEARING TEAMWORK UNDER OUR BELTS AT LEAST, AND MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE OTHER TEAM’S BASE JUST AS THEY HIT OURS FOR THE FLAG. LESSON LEARNT, SCOTT HUNG BACK THE NEXT ROUND TO RUN DEFENCE WHILE MASON AND I RAN OFF AND NORAH STALKED AROUND IN HER SILENT FASHION AND RAN INTERFERENCE, DROPPING MORE THAN A FEW OF THE OPFOR FROM COVER.”

PLAYING TAPS

FOR MANY YEARS NOW AIRSOFT ACTION HAS BEEN PROUD TO BRING YOU THE WISE AND SOMETIMES ACERBIC WORDS OF A TRUE INDUSTRY VETERAN IN “THE LAST POST”, BUT TAPS ARE NOW PLAYING FOR OUR GOOD FRIEND FRENCHIE AS HE STEPS DOWN, AND JUST LIKE THE ORIGINAL TM FAMAS HE HAS SO ABLY WIELDED OVER THE YEARS, HE MARCHES, HEAD HELD HIGH, INTO THE HALLOWED HALLS OF AIRSOFT LORE…

It was always going to happen. My direct association with airsoft has been becoming more distant for some time as life has taken me in different directions. So, after a lot of thought and some considerable reflection, it’s time to say a formal goodbye, and to reflect, for the last time in print (well, virtual print) on all that has gone before.

The best of times? Where to start? I’ve always been interested in firearms and nearly two decades ago when I discovered that there was actually a pastime which allowed me to run around and actually shoot likeminded loons, I was in like Flynn. That generation of players, the ones who understood what was meant when you mentioned ‘LS model kits’ is, I guess, long gone from airsoft now. One of those I know is

just long gone sadly; thank you for the butteries Iain.

It’s been a long and winding road. Modding Marui springers to try and squeeze maximum range from minimum spend, getting involved in setting up a new retailer and site and teaching myself how to work on all manner of airsoft guns.

Finding myself chairing UKARA as we sought to overcome, or at least mitigate the effects of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill (now Act). Sean and Tim probably did more to persuade the government, I had my hands full trying to keep a bunch of competing retailers focussed on achieving a workable outcome, and persuading them to pay for it all. Who else was willing to put money into the fight? In fairness, they also had the most to lose.

“I’VE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN FIREARMS AND NEARLY TWO DECADES AGO WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY A PASTIME WHICH ALLOWED ME TO RUN AROUND AND ACTUALLY SHOOT LIKE-MINDED LOONS, I WAS IN LIKE FLYNN.”

It felt like an existential struggle at the time, but looking back I’m no longer certain that airsoft would have died had we been forced to use two-tone guns. It would just have looked really crap, and whether you care to admit it or not, how airsoft looks to the people involved is really important.

I learned loads about HMRC over the years, a fair bit about business, a good chunk about retail, a certain amount regarding planning procedures and a lot about organising and running regular events. I watched first-hand the rise of UK-based YouTubers (that was the way to make money out of airsoft, or so they thought!). I saw ambition over-reach itself in many different ways.

anywhere. It changed my approach not just to games but to many things and he’ll probably never know how much of a debt I owe him.

I learned that some players cheat a lot, and most players cheat a bit, sometimes in the most minor of ways. Anyone who tells you they have never failed to call a hit which no one saw and even the shooter may have been unaware of because they weren’t sure there was a target, is being economical with the truth.

When that period came to an end, I found out that although I was still attending games to do tech work, I became jealous of my weekends. It’s one thing to give up your Sundays to something you really want to do, it’s quite another to have no real choice in the matter.

And through nearly all of that, I wrote. Firstly tech pieces, then reviews, then opinion pieces. First for “others”, latterly for AA, I have been writing about airsoft and all that surrounds it for some twenty years now. This, along with the people I’ve met along the way was its greatest reward, and although I won’t be writing about airsoft any longer, I continue to write every day to earn a crust.

The people. Airsoft is all about people. Without them there is no game; trust me I have been involved in a ‘game’ where there were three participants! Fun, but not really an airsoft game! Despite seeing them referred to recently as ‘those airsoft weirdos’ on Reddit, airsofters are no more weird than the population from which they’re drawn. You get all sorts; the gamers, the space cadets, the chairborne warriors, the ex-squaddies who can’t let go, the ex-squaddies who never were. The smart arses, the ‘I know better’, the ‘don’t do it that way’. I’ve had cynical site owners who were full of their own s*** until the law caught up with them, and all points in between.

I learned that screaming at young players was never a good look, no matter how f***ing stupid they’d been and I was eternally grateful to the payer who filmed that incident, let me see it and never posted it

But mostly what I encountered were a really decent bunch of guys, and a few girls, who just wanted to play the game. To that end they were helpful, supportive, willing to pitch in and help whenever you asked. Mostly they were funny; perhaps they understood that ultimately we were just all playing at being soldiers and were totally cool with that. Whatever the reason, I was very lucky to spend many days, good and bad, with a great bunch of players and I’m really grateful for that.

The best coffees I’ve drunk were courtesy of fellow players, at early o’clock on a cold site on Day Two of a

THE PEOPLE. AIRSOFT IS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE. WITHOUT THEM THERE IS NO GAME; TRUST ME I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A ‘GAME’ WHERE THERE WERE THREE PARTICIPANTS! FUN, BUT NOT REALLY AN AIRSOFT GAME! ”

weekend game. The best Haribo always comes from airsofters, period. I could count on them to do the stupidest things, often for the best reasons, and if they didn’t actually break themselves in the process, we’d all have a good laugh and I’d wonder how they had managed to live as long as they had!

Fleeting memories of a very drunk colleague sleeping in a container with me who couldn’t cope with the one degree slope up to the door. Of LJ, turning up with enough kit to fill a house for one night outside. “Any idiot can get cold and wet” he’d say, and he was right, we did and he didn’t. Sucking a lodged BB out of someone’s ear with a Biro (hot tip, it works!). Working out that I have over the years seen about 7 ½ teeth either broken or shot out, fortunately none of them mine. Getting really angry at arseholes, because there is almost never any excuse for them to act as they do. Loving the gear, loving the random way a noob in wellies with a twotone MP5 can still take out a player with all the best gear, because while skill matters, luck matters just as much. Having my wife threaten my family jewels with a PO8 from two feet away, not sure who stood to lose most there!

So, to all of you beautiful bastards, thank you. You made it worthwhile.

And that’s it really. There’s much more; stress, fun, miles travelled, disappointments, fools and fantasy, but that’s life Jim. So, Frenchie the airsofter bids you all farewell, especially any of you who have been here long enough to remember those days. And to those of you who don’t, keep playing the game!

Adieu.

Frenchie has been a part of my airsoft world for as long as I can remember; I’ve stood beside him running games in all conditions, we’ve dealt with the same money-grabbing idiots, and he’s even worked on my AEGs when they’ve spat the dummy midevent to keep me in the game!

His wry wit, sense of honour, and his sometimes acid sense of humour have endeared him to me in so many ways as a friend, and his time working with me as we’ve taken Airsoft Action into a new, digital era has shown me another wonderfully creative side of him yet again.

He truly is “a man of all seasons”, a resolute and trusted friend, and I can only thank him for the many kindnesses, both small and large, he has shown me over the many years our orbits have collided!

Thank you Frenchie, for all you have done both for me personally, and for Airsoft Action… the world of airsoft will truly be a lesser place without you in itBill. AA

“THE BEST HARIBO ALWAYS COMES FROM AIRSOFTERS, PERIOD. I COULD COUNT ON THEM TO DO THE STUPIDEST THINGS, OFTEN FOR THE BEST REASONS, AND IF THEY DIDN’T ACTUALLY BREAK THEMSELVES IN THE PROCESS, WE’D ALL HAVE A GOOD LAUGH AND I’D WONDER HOW THEY HAD MANAGED TO LIVE AS LONG AS THEY HAD!”