THE CAGE: PLAYING IT OUT

AIRSOFT WAR NEVER CHANGES! YOU MUST HAVE BEEN AWOL IF YOU’VE MISSED THE EXCELLENT AMAZON TAKE ON THE FALLOUT UNIVERSE, AND WITH THIS IN MIND THE MEMBERS OF THE AA LEGION THOUGHT THEY’D TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO AN AREA OF AIRSOFT THAT’S LOATHED BY A FEW, BUT ABSOLUTELY LOVED BY MANY, AND THAT’S GAME-INSPIRED, THEMED AIRSOFT EVENTS WHERE COSPLAY MEETS FULL-ON 6MM ACTION!

For a while now, Ben and I have been discussing themed airsoft events, most especially where a degree of cosplay comes into things; I’ve had some great times at FALLOUT (there it is again!) and DIVISION games, but I wondered if other members of the AA Crew had thoughts on this?

Engaging that “suspension of disbelief” that’s a fundament of airsoft, for me video-game-inspired scenarios can be a whole lot of fun, and I’m obviously not alone in thinking this! If you search for weekend games online you’ll find a plethora of scenarios cropping up that centre around a sci-fi/post-ap/zombie theme, and in my experience these can be really cool if they’re run with imagination and a degree of dedication to whatever “canon” they feed from.

My faves I have to admit have been the DIVISION games where there are always puzzles to solve, and I’ve had great fun creating loadouts for these which are actually pretty straightforward. However, the series of FALLOUT games run by our old mate Posh were memorable and took a bit more effort; collecting “caps”, retrieving lost “vault children” (read gruesome plastic baby dolls), making “wasteland stew” from supplies stashed in “vaults”, and battling ghouls and raiders all made for an excellent series of games which everyone enjoyed… and remembers to this day!

So, for CAGE this month I thought it would be fun to look at themed games and cosplay-influences in airsoft... and what loadouts have been created within our own ranks!

Dan: Fallout-themed events have long been a staple out at Pegasus MilSim, and they have been doing these annually since 2010. Being that this is more of a LARPing event and not a straight-up skirmish, they tend to draw in lower player numbers. They are still great fun however, and truly the only limiter is one’s imagination on how they want to “play” the game. Many of the video game’s mechanics exist here, with an in-game currency based on real bottle caps, consumables such as Nuka-Cola, RadAway, and Stimpaks, and plenty of bartering, conniving and good ol’ fashioned back-stabbing!

One of my favourite Fallout events was when I managed to convince everyone to swing over to the “Thunderdome”, which was being ran by a member of Caeser’s Legion. I purchased a Mini-Nuke with all of my caps, then promptly dropped it on everyone, waltzed in and collected up all their caps… sorta broke the game too... but we were pretty much at ENDEX by then lol!

I typically run as a Wasteland Wanderer, and have a set of home-brewed license plate armour that I wear. Lately I’ve taken to dressing my Kar98K up a bit for the look in lieu of running an AK like I previously used to use. The bolty is a lot of fun to run with, especially at these lower-intensity events where you don’t feel totally outgunned. As with any getup, it’s a continuous work in progress. I need to work on the undergarment side some more and come up with something a little shabbier and wastelander(ish).

Stewbacca: Most of my experience of themed games (besides Milsims focusing on a particular era such as Vietnam or the GWOT/BHD side of things) have been largely focused around Zombie games, taking part as both a human player in some of the more interesting game styles at the likes of The Gaol, where small competing units had to secure ammunition from caches hidden around the game area while avoiding detection by the already infected or in game atmosphere personnel! Usually we were frantically loading what little ammunition we could scavenge while covering each other off and moving through buildings not knowing what was going to be waiting for us behind the next door… sometimes in an entirely darkened room! Usually these are a great excuse for pistols and shotguns only action as well given the theme and gameplay style, as well as limited ammunition and desire to avoid overkilling the willing zombie players.

One of my most endearing memories was the first of the South Yorkshire Airsoft ResEvil games at the old Proteus former-RAF training base just north of Nottingham, way back on Halloween 2007, not long into my ‘career’ as such.

Our team decided to play for free that night as the escaped infected hive scientists, police and civilians and it’s a surprisingly fun night spent lurking in pitch black disused Anderson shelter style buildings littered with discarded mattresses, furniture, fake blood and general scattered detritus that noisily announced the arrival of stumbling and freaked out players swinging pistols and shotguns around with their torches furiously in the full moon night. I had some hilarious moments like brown-trousering the STARS team as I rounded a corner and they then tried to engage me only to endure of a comedy of errors of ‘the safety’s on, it’s not cocked!’ only managing to shoot me just as I was about to make contact with them… and their BRAIIINS! Sometimes in airsoft it’s when you’re unarmed you can have the most fun!

Ben: So my favourite is my take on the Call of Duty franchise character “GHOST”; I’ve also got two of the other main characters “SOAP” and “CAPTIN PRICE” looks that I can run, not screen-accurate unfortunately...but easily recognisable....we play airsoft to immerse ourselves in whatever role suits our fancy, be it SF, regular troops, Mercs or of some sort of cosplay style; ultimately we are all there to have fun!

Being that I’ve done cosplay before, I get that kick from knowing other people appreciate the effort you put into not just your enjoyment but also theirs....for instance when I played as a “Juggernaut” dressed up as a Terminator people’s reactions were just awesome!

It seems very rare, especially around our local area, to get such things or style of games like this, so I was more than happy to step up and bring this enjoyment to our local site and players....I highly recommend if you get the chance to be the BB magnet for a game or two or possibly the day and you dress up for it... then do so, as you only take away good memories and appreciative comments plus a few extra bruises... and if you’re lucky enough to get photos of your fine self doing this then you have not the same old photos as the usual clobber!

So to help getting yourself started with your cosplay/fantasized character start with looking at what you can either relate or closely relate airsoft-wise to what they have already; clothes, weapons, kit. Build up a picture of what it is you can get hold of to make as good as you can get to resemble said character. For instance, my “Juggernaut” load out...I so wanted to have 3D printed parts to have that ultra-look and feel, but I didn’t have the money or equipment to do so; therefore I did some research on others online who have built this style of costume and I pinched some ideas off a number of them, not all was achievable so some out the box thinking is needed!

I found a “Terminator body suit” outfit which saved a lot of hassle, got myself a Terminator airsoft mask, a Michael Myers horror mask to which I turned inside out as this was there colour tone I was looking for regarding the rubber like skin effect that the T600 terminator has. I burnt and shredded it, did some hunting around charity shops for the wornout looking clothes, cut them up, burnt and dirtied them somewhat for that apocalyptic effect. I added my Classic Army M132 mini gun and the end result wasn’t too bad, ... again not screen accurate but had its desired effect! From what I’ve seen on YouTube regarding airsoft players who have made their own Terminator “Juggernaut” outfits (I’ll now blow my own trumpet) I believe mine is up there with an awesome turn out.

It’s a very similar process when it comes to doing my take on the “GHOST” character from the Call of Duty franchise, most important part was the mask! Now I was lucky to find this company who actually showcase what the product really looks like (thank god!)... most people who are doing the “GHOST” cosplay are after the 3D printed mask (understandable) yet I could not seem to find it with the balaclava or done particularly well or otherwise, so it was a case of DIY it all together; unfortunately I don’t have the time for that so needed the swift option lol!

Now I wanted my “GHOST” to be running a PMC look, yet I wanted to be of similar style to one of his skins in the game; a chest rig (Helikon tiger-striped) with black pouches running around the back (various types of makes like VIPER, UK Tactical, etc), a drop leg for extra mag pouches also black on my left side (cheap Chinese copy bought online!), a Nuprol universal pistol holster with the deadly customs QLS mid ride holster strap also in black, blue worn jeans, the lush new green VIPER jacket, some BMX skeleton gloves and I believe Bigfoot’s Comms headset, nothing overly expensive. Karrimor trek boots in tan and some dark eyepro; mesh is still the better I believe as they have no issues with fogging up or sweat built up on your goggle... again I believe the overall look is badass and I’ve got so many good compliments on my take of this character with this style.

I’ve got a “GHOST” mixed-MC tactical look too but that’s a whole another list,... weapons; for my primary I prefer my G&G Fire Hawk to suit the fast and ready look, for side arm I will either run the new ICS Legacy (which runs bloody lovely I might add) or the ARMY JW3 TTI Combat Master.

My advice? Go out there and make someone’s day! You could very well be inspiring a new young wannabe player! This is the heart of airsoft for me, keeping it alive and FUN! AA