YIELDING GLORY

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE GUYS AT THE AIRSOFT UK ONLINE PLAYERS GROUP DECIDE TO BRING TOGETHER A TIGHT-KNIT GROUP OF COMMITTED AIRSOFTERS, TAKE THEM TO A TOTALLY UNIQUE VENUE, AND HAVE AT IT? LUCKILY FOR US OUR NEWEST “LEGIONNAIRE” RICH P WAS ONE OF THOSE LUCKY AIRSOFTERS AND NOW REPORTS BACK FROM A VERY SPECIAL DAY ON DRAKES ISLAND!

Everyone has their favourite type of airsoft day; for some is your typical skirmish day and for others it’s a Battlesim or Milsim, while some like more of a LARP-themed game day. Personally I’ve done all the above games at one time or another but for me there’s one I will always attend if given the chance... The Private Day.

When I heard of a private game day at a very unique site organised by Chris of the AIRSOFT UK online players group I knew I had to be there, especially when the site was Drakes Island in Plymouth Harbour, run by Commando Force Airsoft. Overall the site is around six acres in size, and Drakes Island began to be fortified in 1549; the site really is quite unique and special, and a lot of the buildings and tunnels date from the Napoleonic era! A good number of the tunnels are playable but most of the buildings are inaccessible due to the condition of them, though a couple were open because of the weather (more on that later) during our time there.

Commando Force Airsoft was founded in 2019 by Bryan and Dave; both being military veterans (Bryan Royal Marines and Dave RAF Regiment) they decided to use their skills and knowledge to create a mobile range package which they run at shows and festivals, most notably running military-style ranges using airsoft replicas at the “Bear Grylls Gone Wild” festivals each year.

In 2022, while looking to create an airsoft site in Plymouth, they were approached by the owners of Drakes Island to run skirmish events there, and January 2023 saw the first Drakes Island skirmish take place. From that start the numbers have grown to the point that most events sell out. Over the last 19 months more parts of the island have been cleared and opened up to allow a better experience and game play.

And so it was that myself, Harvey and James from the team I usually play with set out on the long trek to Devon. We got down there the day before on the Friday to set up the tent and then relax over a BBQ and a couple of beverages with banter thrown in too. All told with us, Chris and the guys from “Team Watch My 6” there were nine of us staying at the campsite, and it was a cool and friendly vibe that settled in.

But… BUT! Friday night it started to rain and when we woke up on Saturday we were faced with a deluge of rain to the point of a river running through the tent! Cooking breakfast was not an option and

I HEARD OF A PRIVATE GAME DAY AT A VERY UNIQUE SITE ORGANISED BY CHRIS OF THE AIRSOFT UK ONLINE PLAYERS GROUP I KNEW I HAD TO BE THERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SITE WAS DRAKES ISLAND IN PLYMOUTH HARBOUR, RUN BY COMMANDO FORCE AIRSOFT” seeing as we didn’t need to be at the ferry until 1300 we got our kit sorted and headed into Plymouth for a Maccy’s. At the fate of the “gods of airsoft” it seemed that we picked the only wet day as the Friday and Sunday either side were dry…

Once bellies were full we headed off to the ferry. Car parking is right by the quay, though the only option for the amount of time you’ll need is the 24 hour car park which is UK£13 for the duration, so best to go with a car-full and share the cost! It was at this point the deluge turned biblical, and we were soaked through before we’d even got on the ferry; when you walk to the ferry its best to keep all your kit in bags and cases as you have to walk past a couple of restaurants!

Getting Down To It

At the top of the jetty you’re met by one of the marshal team who ticks your name off a list, then you walk down and get on the ferry for the short hop across to the island. Once disembarked from the ferry we were met by Bryan who directed us to the buildings opened up due to the weather.

After our kit was stowed we came back to the open area for the safety brief and group photo; thankfully the rain decided to ease up for this bit. After the brief we then had to chrono our AEGs and GBBs; Commando Force specify Bio BB’s only and chrono on the weight used with a limit of 1.14 joules on every platform. It’ not a site that lends itself to sniper set ups so it’s best to leave those at home. In total there were forty-six pLayers there that day, including three keen youngsters who were renting!

It was their first-ever game and it’s safe to say that at the end of the day they were hooked, with massive smiles on their faces.

We were divided into two teams of twenty-three and the first game was a Team Deathmatch in the tunnels and the lower level outside. Each time you were hit you went back to your respawn and pressed a counter to get back in to the game… a little bit on the tunnels, there is no light down there whatsoever apart from what you take in yourselves so a torch is a must! After a quick bomb up the spawns were swapped and the reverse was played with the banded team winning with around a twenty elimination difference over both legs.

The next game was King Of The Hill and was played over the whole site. One team were defending and set up at the top of the hill; the defenders had two lives and on the third hit you were out and had to stand to one side to watch the fun. The attackers had a constant respawn when hit and they just had to walk back 30 paces and come back in. Once at the top the attackers had to touch the flagpole to stop the timer.

After that game we had a bite to eat and were encouraged to explore the island to take photos.

Commando Force don’t provide food so it’s best to take your own, but they do have some snacks for sale in their onsite shop as well as BB’s and Pyro up to Mk5.

Attack And Defend

Once we’d bombed up again the teams swapped sides and attackers became the defenders; when defending you had to look out all around you as you could be attacked from the outside and the tunnels underneath you… head-on-a-swivel time!

This game saw me running round with just a pistol, a single mag and a speed loader as the battery on my VZ58 decided to run down halfway through. Given the players, this particular game saw a new site record for the quickest time to complete it with “the bands” taking just twenty-one minutes!

After that we suggested a free for all, all against all game purely for the giggles. We were given a couple of minutes to spread out over the island before the shenanigans began! I had my journalist head on for this game so I just walked round taking photos and while speaking to one of the marshals he said it was strange, we were all shooting each other like mad but he’d not heard so much laughter during a game

“IN TOTAL THERE WERE FORTY-SIX PLAYERS THERE THAT DAY, INCLUDING THREE KEEN YOUNGSTERS WHO WERE RENTING! IT WAS THEIR FIRST-EVER GAME AND IT’S SAFE TO SAY THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY WERE HOOKED, WITH MASSIVE SMILES ON THEIR FACES” before.

There was around twenty minutes of the free for all before the marshals called endex to smiles all round. We had a few minutes to stow our kit in bags and cases before the ferry arrived at 1945 to take us back to the mainland.

All in all, it was a cracking day of airsoft despite the weather, and though it’s quite a journey to get there Drakes Island is a site I would gladly visit again, and it’s likely I will do so again next year with a couple more of the AA Crew in tow! I’ll round this up though with a few words from Bryan and the organiser of the day, Chris.

Bryan: “On Saturday we had a large group from AIRSOFT UK attend our Drakes Island event. Despite the weather the players were in great spirits and their enthusiasm made it a brilliant day. Their players being mostly on the same team completed our King Of The Hill game in a record of 21 minutes.”

Chris : “This was our first event as AIRSOFT UK and it went better than I had expected and I’d like to thank everyone who attended and who made it what it was, a fun filled day of airsoft and giggles. My thanks to the guys of Commando Force Airsoft for hosting us at this great site; It’s safe to say we’ll be back in the near future!”

My sincere thanks go to Chris from AIRSOFT UK (you’ll find the group easily on Facebook!) for organising a brilliant day, and to Bryan, Dave and their crew at COMMANDO AIRSOFT (www. commandoforceairsoft.com) for being such excellent hosts! AA

“ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A CRACKING DAY OF AIRSOFT DESPITE THE WEATHER, AND THOUGH IT’S QUITE A JOURNEY TO GET THERE DRAKES ISLAND IS A SITE I WOULD GLADLY VISIT AGAIN, AND IT’S LIKELY I WILL DO SO AGAIN NEXT YEAR WITH A COUPLE MORE OF THE AA CREW IN TOW! ”