DARK EMERGENCY: LCT AIRSOFT IN GERMANY!

AS WE TRANSITION FROM THE PAST BACK TO THE PRESENT DAY IN THE AA LEGION SECTION THIS MONTH, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN “EAST MEETS WEST”, IN THIS CASE WHEN OUR OLD MATES FROM LCT AIRSOFT IN TAIWAN LANDED IN GERMANY TO ATTEND THE BIGGEST AIRSOFT EVENT THERE, TAKING PART IN THE BEHEMOTH THAT IS “DARK EMERGENCY”? STEWBACCA GOT TOGETHER WITH THEM FOLLOWING THE EVENT TO GET THE STORY…

In early May 2024, thousands of airsoft players and representatives of the airsoft industry descended upon Mahlwinkel in the northern outskirts of Magdeburg, east of Berlin to take part in “Dark Emergency”, the largest airsoft event in Germany, and arguably one of the largest in Europe and the world! Similar to the UK’s “National Airsoft Festival” it’s a huge camping weekender/MilSim with large team actions, vehicles, and a party atmosphere, all organised by Airsoft Helden.

Our good friends from LCT AIRSOFT were in attendance and also took some time travel in the country following the event, so we thought we’d ask them about their experiences of the event and of Germany in general, and what happened when Taiwan airsoft met the German and mainlandeuropean player community! Stewbacca took up the challenge to bring together the story of when “East met West” with the help of LCT, and now relays their experiences!

AA: What drew you to attend Dark Emergency in particular? Was it a case of invitation/sponsorship of the event? How did you find out about the event and was it a cooperative effort with the organisers?

LCT: Our thanks go to Airsoft2go for their invitation and strong recommendation at the beginning of the year during IWA.

Airsoft2go has been setting up booths at Dark Emergency for many years, and they have witnessed the success of Dark Emergency events. In order to continue providing quality products to users, LCT places great emphasis on player feedback, so therefore, the company decided to personally participate in events through its team for such purposes. This not only allows for a direct understanding of user product experiences but also provides opportunities for interaction with various event organisers.

AA: Who did you have representing LCT Airsoft at the event, and how did you find the journey from Taiwan to Germany? How was the travel compared to your previous journeys to attend IWA in the South?

LCT: Our Boss, Kevin, attaches great importance to this event; he personally led the core members of the marketing team to attend. Kevin’s friends are very familiar with the event, and with their guidance, the itinerary went relatively smoothly. IWA is located in one of the major cities, Nuremberg, with convenient public transportation near the exhibition centre, in the Messe. On the other hand, Dark Emergency is situated on a former East German airbase, where transportation convenience may not rival that of Nuremberg! However, this allowed our team the opportunity to experience true German “Autobahn” driving, adding to our immersion in the local culture.

AA: How did you feel when you arrived at the event, what was the atmosphere like? Were you camping out with the players or staying off site during your stay? How many people or teams from different countries did you get to interact with?

LCT: This time, our team stayed in a small town near the event roughly twenty minutes away by car. On the way to the event, there were only a few small villages, with the rest being vast stretches of wilderness or farmland. The Dark Emergency event could be described as an oasis in the wilderness, resembling a large outdoor camping carnival in the forest. At the event site, besides showcasing highly professional venue-planning such as large stages, lighting, sound systems, performances, catering, washing facilities, accommodation, and equipment sales and repairs, it successfully integrated the atmosphere of a carnival and party. This attracted not only airsoft players but also many people who came to enjoy a vacation. In addition to seeing fully armed teams discussing tactics and shouting slogans, there were also exciting performances, which were very exhilarating!

During most of the event, we were at the Airsoft 2go booth, collaborating on our joint activities. They also planned an LCT exhibition area where we had good interaction with many players, whether they were there to purchase LCT products or not. Most of the participants at Dark Emergency came from Germany and neighbouring countries, but one of the most special meet ups was with a team from Dubai, who were very enthusiastic about interacting with our team! According to information from the organisers, there were over 3000 participants at the event this year, with the majority choosing to camp on-site.

AA: What was the most memorable or exciting aspect of the event and your involvement with it?

LCT: Experiencing first-hand the “luxury” of largescale MilSim game events, receiving direct feedback from players in the field, and witnessing players carrying those products which had been built by the LCT team; this outdoor reality experience is very different from the exhibition events we have attended

“IN ORDER TO CONTINUE PROVIDING QUALITY PRODUCTS TO USERS, LCT PLACES GREAT EMPHASIS ON PLAYER FEEDBACK, SO THEREFORE, THE COMPANY DECIDED TO PERSONALLY PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS THROUGH ITS TEAM FOR SUCH PURPOSES” in the past, and through this event, we have gained clearer insights into our future brand positioning, marketing, and promotional strategies.

AA: How did you find the reception from the players and community? What was your favourite aspect of meeting the end users and seeing your products in use?

LCT: First of all, we are extremely grateful to Airsoft2go for their excellent promotion of our products and for collaborating with us on brainstorming brand marketing strategies. They also consistently deployed Airsoft2go team members in front of the LCT booth to answer players’ questions. They play an important role to us, not only as partners but also as excellent communicators between players and LCT. Listening to players who own LCT products, they agree on their durability and robustness, so observing the enthusiasm of players encountering the LCT brand for the first time, and witnessing players holding LCT products in real-life scenarios… these are the greatest motivations and sources of pride that drive our team to keep pushing forward!

AA: Did you get any feedback or ideas from the community while you were at the event?

Are LCT’s products strongly presented at the event, and were lots of people using them and interested in sharing their experiences or learning more about them?

LCT: At the event, we met many players who support LCT products and saw numerous LCT fans. Everyone was eager to share their firsthand experiences with us and provided many ideas about how we can combine different technologies, innovate, and meet various milestones in the future.

AA: Did you have any giveaways or interact with the community otherwise?

LCT: Before the event, Airsoft2go and the LCT team collaborated to discuss the “LCT good 2 go” booth activity, which allowed us to engage with more loyal LCT players and potential customers through this in-booth activity. Additionally, LCT provided prizes for Dark Emergency with Kevin personally drawing the LC-3 and LCKMS winners on the main stage! The audience’s reaction and the atmosphere during the raffle were extremely enthusiastic, immersing everyone present in the excitement of the moment.

AA: Did any of your team get actively involved in the game or otherwise get a chance to observe the action across the larger playing site during your visit?

LCT: We’re very grateful to the event organizers, AS Helden, for arranging an in-game vehicle tour for us. We, along with all the media, were transported into the mission area on military trucks. The venue setup was truly professional, resembling scenes from a movie. Players could immerse themselves in the game scenarios more deeply, and from the meticulous details, one could feel the passion and professionalism of the organisers and collaborating teams (volunteers). It was indeed a rare and memorable experience.

AA: Would you recommend the event to other international players? What was the best part of the whole experience for you all?

LCT: We definitely recommend this event as it offers a fantastic opportunity to enjoy a completely different holiday (and airsoft) experience with family and friends through gaming. Although it presents challenges for players outside of Europe, such as transportation, language, accommodation, and even equipment logistics, we believe that for airsoft enthusiasts, this event will be an extraordinary spectacle. Overall, the experience was impressive; the event was not only large-scale but also meticulously planned with professionalism evident in every detail. Despite the participation of thousands of people, there was no sense of chaos, everything was well-organised and orderly. Even as first-time attendees, we felt safe and comfortable throughout the event.

AA: What did your team get up to after the event itself? Did you have the chance for further travel within Germany or elsewhere? How have your experiences been of Germany in general in the past; are there any difficulties or language barrier issues, how easy is it for Taiwanese to get by there with the language, cultural, and food differences?

LCT: After the event, the boss gave the team an opportunity to tour Berlin. We visited famous landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie. Following this, we returned the rental car and took a train to Prague to await our flight back to Taiwan the next day, ending a journey of transit lasting 20 hours. Regarding food, there were meals and drinks available at Dark

“THE DARK EMERGENCY EVENT COULD BE DESCRIBED AS AN OASIS IN THE WILDERNESS, RESEMBLING A LARGE OUTDOOR CAMPING CARNIVAL IN THE FOREST. AT THE EVENT SITE… IT SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATED THE ATMOSPHERE OF A CARNIVAL AND PARTY”

Emergency, and the European-style breakfast provided at the accommodation was quite good! However, as individuals with Taiwanese tastes, we couldn’t resist having a bowl of hot instant noodles for a midnight snack (if you know, you know haha!). The kind owner of the café next to our hotel had already closed up shop, but generously allowed us to fill a large pot with hot water from his coffee machine for our noodles, which was very heartwarming! Overall, we were very satisfied with this trip.

AA: Are you planning on attending Dark Emergency again, or any other international events?

LCT: Our goal is to actively participate in various airsoft events and promote the LCT brand to a wider audience. It’s not just about exhibitions like IWA in Germany; if there’s an opportunity in the future to transition more people from “SEEING” LCT to

“LOVING” LCT, we will definitely work hard towards that goal!

Many thanks, as always to our good friends at LCT for giving us their insight into their experiences overseas enjoying a change of scenery and out seeing the people behind their products in the field, Stewbacca has yet more tales of interest regarding his ongoing LCK74MN modularity experiences to follow shortly in another upcoming issue, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

If “Dark Emergency” sounds like something you would like to attend, then you can keep an eye on www.airsofthelden.com or their social media pages.

For updates on LCT products please check out www.lctairsoft.com or follow their facebook page which is updated regularly… or just read Airsoft Action …simples! AA

“OVERALL, THE EXPERIENCE WAS IMPRESSIVE; THE EVENT WAS NOT ONLY LARGE-SCALE BUT ALSO METICULOUSLY PLANNED WITH PROFESSIONALISM EVIDENT IN EVERY DETAIL. DESPITE THE PARTICIPATION OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, THERE WAS NO SENSE OF CHAOS, EVERYTHING WAS WELL-ORGANISED AND ORDERLY”