Issue 35 - May 2014 by Airsoft Action

THE Airsoft Magazine

T I K T A E R G TWO R E V I E W S STEALTH VEST OUR SAFEGUARD ARM K BOOTS HAC DR. MARTENS. S

E M O S E W A E THRE S W E I V E R GUN AR15 S M R A A G E M S T P RWA STERLING A&K MASADA

E V I S S A M E E THR S W E I V E R E T SI BS CAUSEWAY REAL LIFE

BUNDESWEHR CONSCRIPT 1980

SHOOTING FROM A PRONE POSITION

MARITIME PROTECTION DUTY

SNIPERS OF WW2 l THE ART OF CAMOUFLAGE l BOOK REVIEW - RIFLEMAN

MAY 2014 - £4.50

AIRSOFT SKILLS

9 772047 348032

COLD WAR WARRIOR

IB BLACK OPS - CR FT SO IR A E C R O F M R O T S MPTON AMBUSH SOUTHA

THE Airsoft Magazine

TWO GREAT KIT REVIEWS STEALTH VEST OUR SAFEGUARD ARM CK BOOTS DR. MARTENS. SHA

E THREE AWESOM S EW VI RE GUN 5 AR1 PTS MEGA ARMS RWA STERLING A SAD MA A&K

THREE MASSIVE S SITE REVIBBSEW CAUSEWAY REAL LIFE

SHOOTING FROM A PRONE POSITION

MARITIME PROTECTION DUTY

AIRSOFT SKILLS

BUNDESWEHR CONSCRIPT 1980

SNIPERS OF WW2 l THE ART OF CAMOUFLAGE l BOOK REVIEW - RIFLEMAN

9 772047 348032

COLD WAR WARRIOR

Editor: Nigel Streeter Assistant editor: Gareth “Gadge” Harvey Graphic design: Havoc Design Ad design: Havoc Design Publisher: Nigel Streeter Cover Photograph: Les Lee

MAY 2014 - £4.50

BLACK OPS - CRI T SOF STORMFORCE AIR ON MPT AMBUSH SOUTHA

UK 12 - issue subscription rate: £43 For overseas prices visit: www.airsoft-action.co.uk

Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Upper Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire, WE13 6PL Tel: 01684 878 003 Web: www.airsoft-action.co.uk ©Calibre Publishing Limited 2014 Distribution: Distributed to the newstrade by Comag Magazine Marketing, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE T: 01895 433 800 Copyright © Calibre Publishing Limited 2014. All rights are

OK… WHO STOLE THE LAST FOUR WEEKS? I cannot believe just how fast the days are ﬂying by. It only seems like a ﬁve minutes, not twentyeight days, since I last sat down to write my “bit”! I can only put it down to there being so much going on in airsoft at the moment that time simply does not register. Following hard on the heels of SHOT, The British Airsoft Show and IWA, I was pleased to hear that two more annual airsoft events were being launched: The Airsoft Expo in September and, before that, The Big Game over the Bank Holiday Weekend at the end of August. Added to which,

reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

at the beginning of August is the Second Airsoft Surgeon PAS European Championship, which is

stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by

running over three days this year from the 1st - 3rd August. Last year 84 shooters attended the event and it is expected to attract up to 160 shooters, from all over Europe and the Far East. Details of the Big Game are still coming in but, so far as I understand it, a number of site

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

operators are coming together to create a unique event that will incorporate the many different styles of airsoft, which will all be drawn together in a massive game on the ﬁnal day. The event is also being supported by a variety of airsoft retailers, who will be on-site throughout the event and

submissions prior to print.

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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 editor (nige@airsoft-action.co.uk), write to us at the Calibre Publishing address above, or talk to us on Twitter or Facebook.

MARCH 2014

there are plans afoot for a massive player’s party on the Saturday night, with live music and a Bar. The location is being kept under wraps for now but I can tell you that it is pretty amazing - 350 acres that includes just about every possible combination of play area that we could want. So no matter what your style of play, I promise you will not be disappointed. As soon as I have the ﬁnal details, I’ll let you know on the AA Facebook page and website. Personally, I can’t wait - I think it’s going to be one hell of a weekend! See you there. Nige.

CONTENTS MARCH MAY 2014

CONTENTS

AIRSOFT ACTION – MAY 2014

Airsoft News

The latest developments in the world of airsoft 8

Readers’ Gallery

Cool photos taken by Airsoft Action readers 12 Armoury: PTS Mega Arms AR15 The return of PTS brings with it their first release; a GBB AR15 - but just how good is it? 16 Show Report: IWA Just back from the SHOT Show, Scott Allan hot-foots it over to IWA in Nuremberg to report on what is becoming a very important show for Airsoft 20 Site Review: Black Ops - Cribbs Causeway Kris Roberts didn’t let the rain and mud prevent him from having a brilliant day at this ex-WWII Anti-Aircraft site just outside Bristol. 24 Armoury: RedWolf Airsoft Sterling Scott Allan feels the excitement as he gets his hands on RedWolf’s version of this classic SMG. 28 Debate: Eye Protection We all know the importance of protecting our eyes, so Gadge asks why it isn’t always a number one priority? 32 Kit Review: SafeGuard Armour Stealth Vest Want to run real armour but don’t fancy a plate carrier? Liam McCormick sees if a covert vest from this UK Company fits the bill. 35 Site Review: Stormforce Airsoft Gadge rediscovers his skirmishing mojo as he reports from this 45-acre woodland site in Staffordshire. 40 Team Profile: Bionic Dragons Having met at the British Airsoft Show, Nige invited the team to tell us more about themselves.

50 Site Report: Ambush Adventures Southampton Les Lee finds that sportsmanship is the order of the day as he reports from this new to airsoft woodland site in the wilds of Hampshire. 55 NEW! Head to Head: Sten v MP40 Ever wondered which was best? Military Historian Will Fowler discusses the pros and cons of each weapon in the first of this new series of articles. 60 Skills: Shooting from a Prone Position Andy Nightingale gives us some hints and tips for how to stay on target when we have to get flat on the ground. 64 Kit Review: Dr. Martens Shack Boots Putting preconceptions aside, Nige is pleasantly surprised when he tries out a pair of these new boots from Dr. Martens. 68 Reader’s Real Life: Maritime Protection An Airsoft Action reader tells us what he does when not playing airsoft. 72 Feature: Snipers of World War II With 257 kills, Josef “Sepp” Allerberger was one of the most deadly German snipers of WWII. Dan Mills writes about a man that practiced skills still in use today. 76 World War I: The Battle of Mons Dan Mills’ journey through the keystone events of WWI continues with the first real battle of the War. 80 NEW! Feature: The Art of Camouflage Gadge kicks off a new series about camouflage patterns with a look at the popular German Flecktarn. 84 Bookshop

42 Armoury: A&K Masada

Special Offer for Airsoft Action readers from Military Pocket Books

Can a £250 clone of a £480 riﬂe be anywhere near as good as the original? Jay Slater puts this Chinese bb-slinger to the test.

85 Book Review: Riﬂeman by Victor Gregg with Rick Stroud

46 Cold War Warriors: Bundeswehr Conscript 1980

From ﬁghting with the LRDG at El Alamein, jumping into Arnhem and surviving the bombing of Dresden.

Gareth “Gadge” Harvey continues his series of Cold War loadouts with a look at Germany’s answer to a shortfall in numbers.

86 Site Directory If you’re looking for somewhere to play, you’re sure to ﬁnd it here

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

AIRSOFT NEWS INVITATION

Airsoft Surgeon European Championship Practical Airsoft Shooting 2ND ANNUAL CHAMPIONSHIP 1st, 2nd, 3rd August 2014

Airsoft Surgeon would like to invite all Practical Airsoft shooters to participate in the Airsoft Surgeon European Championship 2014 __________________________________ The Airsoft Surgeon European Championship will consist of 16 stages for an approximate total of 300 rounds. The Championship will be shot over three days of competition and one day for the Pre-Match. Divisions are as follow: • Open (Max 28 rounds BB in each magazine) Standard (Max 18 rounds BB in each magazine) • Classic (1911 single stack GBB only) (Max 10 rounds BB in each magazine) Category: • Male • Ladies • Junior (11 – 18 years old) Venue: The Grange Frogmore Grange, Frog Lane,, Balsall Common, Coventry CV7 7FP Last Day Registration: 25th July 2014 RO Pre-Match: 31st July 2014 Main Match: 1st, 2nd, 3rd August 2014 Registration: 10:00 am 1st August 2014 Match Starts: 1:00 pm 1st August 2014 BBQ Evening: 2nd August 2014 Evening Award Presentation: 3rd August 2014 Late Afternoon / Early Evening Entry Fee: £50 per shooter For More Information regarding the championship Please Email: chris.kong@redwolfairsoft.com

MAY 2014

Xcortech News from Firestorm Distribution The new Xcortech X3300W is a “TRACER UNIT, CHRONOGRAPH & MOSFET all in one. What it does: 1. Controls your shot burst at the touch of a button: 1,2,3,4,5…. 2. Displays how many BB’s are left in your magazine. 3. Displays your battery level 4. Displays Your ROF, and FPS 5. Integral tracer unit. 6. Auto power off 7. See how much mileage your guns done with its “Total BB” counter 8. Low BB and Low battery warnings 9. Can be used on up to 8 guns

It communicates wirelessly between the component sensors and the control unit need not be attached to your RIF. Put it in a pouch or on your wrist, it will work just the same. For more information and prices, contact Firestorm via the web: www.helmetworld. co.uk and watch out for an upcoming review in Airsoft Action.

NEWS THE LATEST AIRSOFT HEADLINES

2 DAYS OF NOTHING BUT AIRSOFT!

Introducing into the ASG and CZ family ranks, is the new CZ SP-01 Shadow. This gun will come out as a Non-blowback Airgun and Airsoft pistol. Those familiar with the CZ line of pistols, will appreciate that the CZ Shadow ﬁnally has arrived to the Airgun and Airsoft scene. “The CZ SP-01 SHADOW is an exciting new pistol from ASG. It is based on the latest generation of pistols from CZ, which are designed from input provided by Law Enforcement, Military and Police communities worldwide, and with additional input from the world premier shooters of Team CZ. This pistol is lightweight and easy to operate, the ergonomic grip with checkered rubber grip panels make it sit extremely well in the hand. It features a ﬁber optic front sight and an accessory rail. A barrel extension tube can easily be threaded on by removing the front caps. (See ref. 15924 and 15925)”

NEW AIRSOFT EXHIBITION

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Available both as 4.5mm Airgun and 6mm Airsoft Airgun CO2 version: http://www.actionsportgames.com/productssearch-248.aspx?productid=17526@@SHOP1 Airsoft CO2 version: http://www.actionsportgames.com/productssearch-248.aspx?productid=17653@@SHOP1 Airsoft Spring version: http://www.actionsportgames.com/productssearch-248.aspx?productid=17655@@SHOP1 Features Red Fiber optic front sight, Comfortable rubber grip, Front rail to mount accessories, Sturdy construction, Stealth black, Full size magazine

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If you would like to exhibit at the expo please contact us for stand information.

Ŷ 24,500 sq ft of Airsoft Ŷ See the leading suppliers Ŷ Demonstrations and Scenario Area Ŷ Airsoft Range

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THE NEW NAME IN AIRSOFT PHOTOGRAPHY. With 22 years in the Army, eight years of which as a photographer capturing images in some of the most hostile places in the world, the natural progression could be only one thing – Airsoft Photography. Darren Gray is a multi award winning photographer who in 2000 exchanged his warrior armoured ﬁghting vehicle for a camera and started shooting of a different kind. Darren was asked to leave his regiment in Germany and move to Woolwich, London to take over as the photographer for ‘The Gunner’ magazine of the Royal Artillery. During his time at The Gunner, Darren was tasked with some high proﬁle assignments such as photographing members of the royal family including HRH Queen Elizabeth II and The Crowned Prince of Brunei as well as photographing troops on operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Northern Ireland. Now a civilian, Darren has started his own photographic business and will be specialising in Airsoft photography – “It’s a simple process, you drop me an email or give me a call, I then come to your event, take some photographs, add them to my website, the players can then visit the website and if they like the images they can purchase them for a reasonable price. I will happily give some of the best images to the club or event organiser for marketing purposes free of charge.” Web: www.sixfourhundred.co.uk Email: mail@sixfourhundred.co.uk Call: 07738 161802 www.airsoft-action.co.uk

AA GALLERY

ROGUE’S GALLERY

RAW WAR, ASPATRIA, CUMBRIA.

ALL PHOTOS BY IAN MURDOCH

INFORMATION Fancy seeing yourself in Airsoft Action? Send in your photos via email (nige@airsoft-action.co.uk) or share on our Facebook page (/AirsoftAction), plus a few words describing what’s going on in the image.

may 2014

AA GALLERY

ROGUE’S GALLERY

RIFT

ALL PHOTOS BY SEAN

may 2014

MEGA ARMS? YOU MEAN LIKE POPEYE? IT’S BEEN A WHILE BUT PTS ARE BACK AND SCOTT ALLAN GETS HIS HANDS ON THEIR FIRST NEW RELEASE - A GBB AR15 - BUT IS IT THE REAL DEAL, OR JUST AN AISOFTER’S WET DREAM?

PTS CONTINUE THEIR EXPANSION in the airsoft market after the loss of the Magpul airsoft licence, this time with a high end gas blow back rifle; the Mega Arms MKM AR15. Is it a lot of hot air or the coolest thing since tactical beards? PTS Syndicate (formerly known as Magpul PTS) have several licences to replicate goods with official markings for the airsoft market. From big name brands such as Ergo and Griffin Armament, to Rainer Arms and now with Mega Arms PTS continually have a name for quality above all else. When I first saw the Mega Arms rifle back in 2013 I was outrageously excited, which quickly faded when I learned it was to be a gas blow back (GBB). I fell to my knees and begged them to make it electric, yet my pitiful man tears were not enough to change their minds… so I went off in a huff! The Mega Arms MKM GBBR is effectively an AR15 platform and the first time that PTS have tried a GBB rifle. PTS have always been about realism and this is still true with the MKM which makes it perfect for those who thrive on realism. The first thing that strikes you about this rifle is the size and the finish, it is utterly beautiful to look at and even more magnificent to hold. 12

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THE REAL VERSION Mega Arms are based in Washington State, south of Seattle, which isn’t the usual hot bed for shooting manufacturers. That said, they have been a consistent manufacturer for some time now and their parts are not only uniquely exciting but they are high end products with a quality that the US market expects as standard. More recently, due to demands in the US for all shooting products, production has been an issue for Mega Arms. With a crazy number of orders they have struggled to keep up with the requests and even when running 24/7 they still cannot keep up. If this is the demand for the real steel versions, has PTS managed to replicate the high quality and performance?

THE PTS VERSION This is made for PTS by the OEM manufacturer Yih Kai, the parent company of KWA, who make OEM riﬂes for Umarex and various other large companies. The Mega Arms MKM uses the highly thought of Force Velocity system, the same

PTS MEGA ARMS MKM AR15

system used in the LM4 (KWAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very own GBB range). This means that the magazines are cross-compatible and should be readily available worldwide. The external ďŹ nish really cannot be faulted. While the upper is not truly monolithic, it is a speciďŹ cally designed set which ďŹ ts together to appear as a monolithic upper should. The 14.5â&#x20AC;? barrel gives a good all round look and feel and with the 12.5â&#x20AC;? rail it feels more like a 16â&#x20AC;? barrel. The whole Key Mod (a modular rail system which allows you to ďŹ t rails where you like) system means it is adaptable to any layout you see ďŹ t, whilst remaining light and easy to manipulate.

PERFORMANCE

â&#x20AC;&#x153;THE FIRST THING THAT STRIKES YOU ABOUT THIS RIFLE IS THE SIZE AND THE FINISH, IT IS UTTERLY BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT AND EVEN MORE MAGNIFICENT TO HOLDâ&#x20AC;?

A riďŹ&#x201A;e can be as pretty as you like but if it does not work then it is no more use than a block of cheese during a skirmish. So does the MKM achieve eternal glory or does it wither away into the sands of airsoft time? Well safe to say the MKM really is a hit - and that is just your target! The recoil is phenomenal, gas consumption is brilliant and it is accurate. I could just end the whole review there but then it would not justify the craftsmanship that has been achieved. GBB riďŹ&#x201A;es only occasionally ďŹ&#x201A;oat my boat and I have noticed that there tends to be a trade-off between looks and performance. The Mega Arms is almost the perfect blend between the two. The realistic action of a GBB is the key attraction for any player. The Mega Arms ticks every box in this department, with gas operated recoil and blowback and a realistic construction and ďŹ eld stripping it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get closer to the real thing than this. Top all that off with the working bolt catch and release and a working forward assist and you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get a better training tool and skirmish weapon than the MKM.

2 E 2 2

PTS MEGA ARMS MKM AR15

The Mega Arms GTR 3H billet lower and the AR15 billet upper receiver with the Key Mod handguard are all perfectly executed. The anodised finish across the whole system is tough and neatly done with a finely skeletonised trigger to finish it off. If I had to criticise I would say the stock and the pistol grip are lacking, while perfectly functional and good quality but they could have been something more fancy - but this would have only increased the end product cost. A GBB is never about the endless spraying during a game and the MKM would not suit the drum-magazine-loving-white-death-machine. What it is (in gaming terms) is a high end training tool for those who want to operate as they would in real life, although with a 40-round magazine you have a little more than a standard real steel AR15. Each time you claim a scalp during a game will be worth its weight in gold as a personal achievement. In the cold all gas products do suffer but with companies such as WE Europe producing some powerful gasses (and with even more powerful on the cards) you should see all-year performance very soon.

USE IN-GAME The overall size and length of the MKM makes it great to use. Too often I ﬁnd riﬂes are too small and you end up curling around them rather than 14

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driving them into the aiming position. The spare magazines will hurt your pocket a little at around £40-£50 each and as they only hold 40 rounds, you might need four or ﬁve at least to keep you in the game. Then there is the weight of the magazine; they are near real weight so this isn’t a system for those who like to catapult through windows head ﬁrst and commando roll at the other side… Unless you like losing teeth from a stray magazine that is!

CONCLUSION The Mega Arms is a shooter’s rifle through and through, without any doubt a hard core MilSim player’s wet dream! The manipulation during reloads will increase the pressure on you as a player and this is why you should definitely consider one. Do we play airsoft to comfortably sit back with a 1,000-round magazine, spraying endlessly into the surrounding area? Maybe sometimes, but more often players are attracted to the sport by films like Black Hawk Down – to be in an intense fight against an enemy with many variables such as running out of ammunition, reloading and being forced to aim because you don’t have endless rounds to expend in fully automatic fire. God I want this rifle so badly!!

MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 40 ROUNDS GAS SYSTEM: FORCE VELOCITY [FV] PROPELLANT: GREEN GAS INNER BARREL DIAMETER: 6.05 MM INNER BARREL LENGTH: 370 MM OUTER BARREL LENGTH: 36.83CM OVERALL LENGTH (RETRACTED): 81CM OVERALL LENGTH (EXTENDED): 89CM WEIGHT: 3.2KG VELOCITY: 340FPS (WITH BLASTER 0.20G AND WE GREEN GAS AT 12C ROOM TEMPERATURE) RRP £430

SCOTT ALLAN REPORTS FROM IWA OUTDOOR CLASSICS - NUREMBERG’S ANNUAL HUNTING AND SHOOTING FEST THAT IS ALSO (PROBABLY) THE WORLD’S MOST IMPORTANT AIRSOFT EXHIBITION. THE IWA SHOW IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST DATES on the calendar for Airsoft businesses and the 2014 show promised to be a big one! I was there with all the big names to get the low down on the way the market is moving. The IWA Show in Nuremberg, Germany has been going strong for over 40 years. With over 1,200 exhibitors from the big guns (literally) such as Heckler & Koch and Glock and nearly 40,000 visitors ﬂocking to this gothic city every year. The Outdoor Classics Show is angled at the hunting market and target sports, although airsoft has become a bigger and bigger part of each year - and this year was no exception. With the Shot Show proving to be a little bit disappointing on the airsoft front, the IWA had a lot of lost ground to cover. Nuremberg as a city is an intriguing place and well worth the walk around, although the Bavarian city does hold a dark past. Being the national Head Quarters for the Nazi party in the late 1930s, huge rallies were held here before the war broke out. By the time the war ended the city was in ruins and essentially wiped off the map by Bomber Command. Rebuilt in the post-war years to its former glory, Nuremberg truly is a place of beauty and is one of those surprising little gems. But enough of the Trip Advisor moment - on with the good stuff! 16

may 2014

There were all the usual major manufacturers at the show, many of which I have now worked with for years, so there was always going to be some good gossip to ﬁnd.

ACTION SPORT GAMES This stand is always a favourite of mine, the Danes always have a very welcoming nature and generally with a beer for you in hand. Their stand is one of the most professional of all of the airsoft companies at the show and slowly, yet surely, ASG are changing tack slightly. In previous years ASG have been rebranding many Chinese makes under their own label and distributing Classic Army in Europe. These days they are bravely stepping into the manufacturing game; firstly we saw the Ashbury sniper rifle that was a stunning piece of kit (although a bit fickle for my liking). Now we have the long awaited news of their new arrival - the CZ Scorpion EVO 3 A1.

show REPORT IWA 2014

The EVO is the most important airsoft rifle for Europe – ever! You’ll undoubtedly be slightly baffled by this statement. Well the reason for this is simple; the EVO will be manufactured from beginning to end in Europe and will sport Systema-like electronics inside. Moving away from Far Eastern manufacturing has been a huge challenge but it good news for the market. Airsoft Action will have more inside news on this rifle over the next few months.

GUAY GUAY (G&G) Thankfully the G&G stand was a lot better than at the Shot Show (which seemed more of a token effort than a serious display). The stand boasted many new (and some very old) prototypes, such as the M1 Garand.

New on the cards, they had a trial of their high speed riﬂes pumping out 60 rounds a second (albeit at around 200 fps). Interestingly they had the prototype of their MG42, which was exciting but it is still a long way off. Probably the most interesting item on the stand was the

VSS Vintorez. The VSS is an odd rifle that around four manufacturers have simultaneously decided to build. The G&G version is not only probably going to be the best out there but it appeared to me to be a milestone in airsoft technological advances... No dry fire, no fire when the magazine was removed, quick take down, a battery level indicator were all great features and I suspect that one day we will see all of this in an M4 range. So while the VSS might not be everyone’s cup of tea, it does potentially pave the way for a new level of rifle for G&G. If my suspicious mind is correct anyway…

KRYTAC I had a great chat at length with the guys at Krytac, the new Airsoft division for KRISS Arms. With some hugely experienced heads behind the designs, a solid business plan and great marketing they are definitely going to make a big impact later this year. With several models of M4 type rifles on the cards at an attractive price I am confident they will make a big impression on the European market. With a complete SR47 and Shrike ready to go out of the box, it will be nice to see new high quality models coming to market. We are told that the dates into Europe are August/September 2014 but as with everything new this could slip slightly. Krytac is definitely a name to watch this year!

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

WE EUROPE

REAL SWORD

It has been a bit of a slow start for WE Europe as people get used to the change in distribution. Now set on the right path with a great line up of products, WE Europe are set to make it big over the next year.

Holy smoke! Real Sword are back! The most impressive stand I have ever seen them have. I have known David and Helen for years now and this new stand showed a huge line up of their new gas blow back range. While prices are to be conﬁrmed the workmanship looked very high end, dare I say they looked real. The charging handle was the heaviest I had ever felt on an airsoft riﬂe and was more like a real M4 rather than a replica. Interestingly the new GBB range will not have a separate inner barrel, how this works exactly is unknown just now but Real Sword don’t do anything poorly! The release dates are sometime this year but we have to pray that it doesn’t continue to slip back.

REDWOLF Their ﬁrst stand at IWA looked professional and showed the dedication they have, with the announcements of a series of new consumable products that are set to hit your local shelves very soon. More powerful gases are one of the key exciting things we saw, which means my usual stomping grounds in Scotland could see an inﬂux of gas blow backs that work all year round. All sounds very promising for the guys at WE Europe!

RedWolf had a great stand combined between their UK and HK ofﬁces. It showcased many interesting items, such as the outrageously nice Airsoft Surgeon pistols, Pantac gear but best of all was a Socom Gear Barrett. Nothing new? Well how about each shell holds a CO2 bulb and it is a GBB system! All in all that is a very exciting feature that many people have sought after for years although it may not be the best skirmishing riﬂe.

UMAREX This must be one of the largest stands at the entire show, truly a giant that shows their product range off spectacularly. Like all distributors stable supply lines are a continuing issue and this is also true for Umarex. On the up side things are shaping up nicely and the full range of HK416 riﬂes should be available full time, the new MP7 has just been released with the Dark Earth version just around the corner. Oh and did I mention the prototype HK 417 GBB? Yes it was there and was stunning! While the product range is reasonably narrow at the moment for the high end player, there is expansion in the works.

GUN FIRE This Polish distributor has carved out a larger and larger market share through a variety of methods and now they are to release their very own manufactured M4 range called Specna Arms. The Gun Fire stand showed a large cross section of what they have available as well as many hydro dipped products that looked fantastic. We expect to hear a lot more about them over the coming months.

ICS ICS showed off their blatant copyright-infringing TransforM4. The announcement - when stood next to what other companies are doing - I feel that ICS have stood still too long. Their big change is an electric blow back system, which is fair enough, as well as this they are now bringing their riﬂes in line with the Tokyo Marui specs, so you don’t have to buy the ICS branded parts. In all honesty I am not overly excited. The riﬂes they produce are reasonable performers but I fear they are being left behind as a big name in airsoft.

KING ARMS I had a meeting arranged with King Arms to discuss their new items at their request. I turned up to the stand on time and stood around while three of their staff played on their phones. After ten minutes I gave up and left. It looks like they have some nice replicas coming out, a VSS for one. Sadly I can’t tell you anything about it! 18

may 2014

CONCLUSION While the show can be a little hit and miss the IWA 2014 show was a deﬁnite hit! Continuous evolution of the sport showed that manufacturers are not always sitting copying each other directly but attempting to innovate individually. This means that exciting products will emerge and new and better processes for manufacturing will keep things fresh. While the issue of ROHS compliance and CE marks dominated many of our meetings, most manufacturers are now trying to get up to speed (even though they were meant to have completed everything already). I would expect that some brands might almost disappear over the next year if the certiﬁcation is not sorted out soon. So as much as our sport prospers on one side, the other is being eaten away. We can only hope that the manufacturers listen in time and have everything tested. Don’t you just love EU regulations? The next IWA Outdoor Classics is scheduled for 6th - 9th March 2015 - I for one will be booking my tickets early!

Explore Explore tthe he possibilities possibilities ooff the the next next Generation Generation Proline Proline A Airsoft irsoft rriﬂes iﬂes

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LLMT MT Defender R.I.S., Black

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120 ms/394 fps – 1.4 joule 95 m s/312 fps fps – 0.9 0.9 jjoule oule 95 ms/312 (M95 version) (M95 ve rsion)

A Armalite rma M15A4 Carbine R Ref. ef. 17 17391 73 R ef. 1 73 Ref. 17393

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LMT LMT Defender Defender C CQC

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Ref. Ref. 17 17529 7529 Ref. 1 7530v Ref. 17530v

120 120 m ms/394 s/394 fps fp – 1.4 joule 95 m s/312 fps fps – 0.9 joule 95 ms/312 (M95 ve rsion) (M95 version)

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BLACK OPS: CRIBBS CAUSEWAY WOULD THE RAIN AND MUD DAMPEN HIS ENTHUSIASM AS KRIS ROBERTS TRIES OUT THIS SITE CLOSE TO BRISTOL? OF COURSE NOT! I HATE MORNINGS. It’s a feeling I developed years ago at basic training, thanks to a rather ugly and demented Corporal who would launch his predawn attacks by hurling my bed upside down with me still in it. So, when my bedside alarm decided to buzz sadistically next to my ear at 05:30 on a cold winter Sunday, I wanted to crush the life out of it with my bare hands. An hour later, after a cold shower and four cups of coffee, I was still feeling miserable. I was waiting for my lift to arrive, all the while wondering if there was an ofﬁcial retirement age for Airsoft, and if there was, sincerely hoping I was getting close to it. In case it’s not clear yet folks, I hate mornings.

NEW GROUND Today I would be travelling up to Black Ops: Cribbs Causeway, a mixed terrain skirmish site that is situated just to the north of Bristol. I would be tagging along with a group of players travelling from as far away as Plymouth and despite my morning gripes, I was looking forward to a day meeting new players and experiencing a new site together. On arriving at the site we were grateful to see that there was no sign of the rain that had plagued us for the last week, although the aftermath of the prolonged downpour was clear from the moment we stepped out of the car. The ground was thick with mud and water, and it was evident that the day would be a ﬁght against the soil as much as it would be against the opposing team. I could feel my “old man grumbles” starting up again. Thankfully this feeling quickly faded as we walked into the safe zone. A large, fully enclosed area with a complete roof covering, I was impressed by the space and comfort available to the players.

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BLACK OPS: CRIBBS CAUSEWAY

FPS LIMIT:- 350 FOR AEGS AND PISTOLS - 450 FOR BOLT ACTION SNIPER RIFLES. MINIMUM ENGAGEMENT 30M GREEN FEES:- ÂŁ20 WALK ON, ÂŁ45 FOR GAME FEE & HIRE KIT

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The concrete foundations and bunkers still hold strong and serve as a perfect playground for skirmishers. There are tunnels and rooms below ground level which offer an intense CQB environment, while outside the roofs provide raised platforms ideal for snipers and support gunners.â&#x20AC;?

The safe zone was made up of two seating areas, with a central brick cabin which housed the booking in ofďŹ ce and the impressive kitchen facilities. There were also two separate toilets, with actual porcelain bowls, which as any seasoned airsofter can tell you is about as luxurious as facilities can get. It would certainly take the risk out of deciding whether or not to get a burger at lunchtime! Signing in and chronoing was taken care of with little time wasted and soon we were all assembled outside for the ďŹ rst game of the day. A simple warm up affair to get us all ďŹ red up. We were limited to a small ďŹ eld next to the safe zone, an area ďŹ lled with barricades in the form of brick walls, plastic barrels and mixed vehicles. It was a great spot for a short, sharp ďŹ ght. Today though the real challenge was in trying to stay upright in the slick mud and in no time at all I was shot out of the game because I managed to get stuck while trying to move between cover. NEW LIFE FOR LOST HISTORY A quick turnaround in the safe zone and we were back out for a 45 minute game which would cover a much larger area. This time we would be ďŹ ghting in and around the buildings and bunkers that lay scattered around the playing ďŹ eld and straight away you could see the history of the place and how it provided a prime location for airsofters to skirmish. Built as an Anti-Aircraft facility in the Second World War, it housed four gun emplacements that would protect the nearby Filton Runway and Avonmouth area. Now, little remains of the support buildings, but the concrete foundations and bunkers still hold strong and serve as a perfect playground for skirmishers. There are tunnels and rooms below ground level which offer an intense CQB environment, while outside the roofs provide raised platforms ideal for snipers and support gunners. The areas between the ďŹ xed positions are ďŹ lled with wooden barricades and obstacles and it was obvious that the layout of the site had been designed by those with plenty of experience. What really grabs the playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention more than anything is the sheer volume of props used on the site. From wooden signs, empty shell cases and ammo crates, all the way up to missile pads, anti-aircraft guns and helicopters. There really is a feast for the eyes, and without wanting to sound too â&#x20AC;&#x153;artyâ&#x20AC;?, there is a deďŹ nite sense

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of â&#x20AC;&#x153;textureâ&#x20AC;? to the site. All these different materials, put to use on a landscape that has underground and raised areas, helps to offer a three dimensional element which provides not only an exciting arena but serves as a tacticianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream. At any moment you could be attacked from an unseen enemy, forcing you to stay on your toes. DO OR DIE After the 45 minutes had ďŹ nished, we had just enough time for a quick coffee and a reload before the next game was ready to go. By now we had grown more accustomed to the mud, and it seemed that all of the players had adapted their style of play to account for the difďŹ culties it presented. A simple earth bank, which on a ďŹ ne day could be tackled with a few easy bounds, had now proven to be an impossible obstacle. It was great to see the players rise to the occasion, taking the muck in their stride and using it as a means to funnel and trap opposing players. No site can control the weather, but they can control the reaction and game play to such adverse conditions. I thought that the staff and players at Black Ops took the situation as a challenge to be overcome, and all involved seemed to conquer the problem and turn it into positive experience. By the end of the third game it was time for me to put away my guns and unpack my camera. I was surprised at how reluctant I was to do this. After a few games my miserable morning attitude had completely disappeared, and I found myself thirsting for another gunďŹ ght. With difďŹ culty I forced myself to show a bit of professionalism and, taking my camera in hand, I followed the players out for the ďŹ nal game before lunch. For this game the Red Team had to hold the three main bunker buildings and I decided to tag along with them to get a defenderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective. The Reds were allowed inside and on top of each building and were permitted to move in a direct path between each one. Once a building had been overrun, it was lost and couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be retaken. The game began and the Blue Team made a quiet start, spreading out and making small attacks to test the defenders. The pace of the action soon accelerated and it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t long before I was forced to keep my head down to avoid the whirlwind of incoming ďŹ re.

2 E 2 2

The Reds were far from idle, moving to plug any gaps in the defence and showing plenty of deďŹ ance and aggression in the face of the enemy. The Blues had moved around the three complexes and had the defenders pinned in by multiple angles of attack. With neither team showing any signs of backing down, it became a test of accuracy and a skilful demonstration in the best use of cover. I was darting back and forth trying to get some pictures, feeding off the adrenaline of the players around me and getting shot more times than a man in a hi-vis jacket should ever have to endure. Eventually the Marshalls called time on the game and the Reds were declared victorious in their defence. THE EXTRA MILE Lunchtime saw players quickly queue up for some hot food and I took the chance to have a better look at the facilities. At the main desk there were charging facilities for standard and LiPo batteries, along with the chance to buy ammo, grenades and even some painkillers should they be needed. The main feature though had to be the shop which had been slowly setting up in the corner all morning. Run by Gordon of Headspace, the shop sold all manner of equipment. Spare magazines, gas and safety equipment sat on the shelves along with a nice collection of pistols and AEGs, all of which received plenty of attention from the players. It was during this time that I had the chance to meet with Dave, the Head Marshal and through him I got to learn a bit more about the site. Owned by Jock McCracken and Mike and Joy Stanton, they have been running airsoft games there for the last two years. With years of experience in paintball, Black Ops is the latest chapter for them, one which has taken a lot of construction, not to mention the extensive work that was required to clear the site of the masses of bramble that had claimed the land over the years. As we chatted, Dave could see that I was showing an interest in the armoured vehicles that populated the site. He was pleased to point out that most of them can run and can be used during better weather to ferry players around the site.

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BLACK OPS: CRIBBS CAUSEWAY

BACK TO BATTLE After lunch it kicked off again with the big anti aircraft gun ďŹ ring into the air. The puffs of smoke that burst above our heads were to be the signal that started the afternoonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gaming, a time that was to be spent in a ďŹ&#x201A;urry of ďŹ re ďŹ ghts that ranged from the sloped wooded area on one side of the site to the open ridgelines on the other. It was hard to stay on top of objectives and missions as individual battles broke out all over. Personal wars quickly merged with others and the action never let up. All too soon the day was over, and slowly the players bade farewell and made their way home. As I was packing away I managed to have a quick word with Jock McCracken and he was quick to show his enthusiasm for airsoft. Talking about how the site caters for paintball and airsoft, Jock wanted to clarify to me that he has been impressed by the growing interest and nature of airsoft and now considers the need to host an airsoft game to be above that of paintball. In my ďŹ fteen years of airsoft I have never heard a veteran paintball site owner say that before; I found it to be a very encouraging sign of things to come. CONCLUSION Black Ops: Cribbs Causeway offers such a mixed and varied playing area I would imagine that each visit would offer up new challenges. I am sure that if I played on a dry day then the style and pace of play would have been different, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not to say that this visit could have been better. The mud had been an issue, but it was the attitude of the staff and players that were the most impressive thing on the day. Without that, I would have remained a miserable git until I had travelled home and climbed back into bed. As it was I had a great day, and I have the people of Black Ops to thank for that.

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A STERLING EFFORT

MANY HAVE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME FOR IT TO ARRIVE AND SCOTT ALLAN FINALLY GETS HIS HANDS ON THE FIRST AIRSOFT VERSION OF THIS MUCH-LOVED SMG FROM DAGENHAM.

SCOTT ALLAN

Scott has worked in airsoft retail for many years – and played airsoft long before that. He likes big, heavy guns, loud explosions and MilSim games in particular

THIS MAY BE THE MOST EXCITING old school rifle I’ve ever seen. Not only does it look good but it feels amazing too! That being said I’ve seen too many airsoft rifles that fall down on the performance front. So can the Action Custom (who??) Sterling shake off this stigma, or will it just be another “new name… poor effort”? Action Custom historically has only really made a few parts for VSR rifles and apart from that, they are a small and pretty much unknown brand. While most airsoft manufacturers tend to lean towards an M4 as their first release (how droll), the L2A3 Sterling is most unusual as it has not been made before, which is a good move and the way this has been built is not only ingenious but works well, very well. Steel is a great material for any airsoft rifle, not because it is heavy but because it looks and feels more realistic. The Sterling certainly does achieve a realistic look and feel, probably the best of all these WWII type rifles (although only WWII by the skin of its teeth). In fact it is so heavy that it had pretty much destroyed the inside of the box by the time it reached me for testing. When I unearthed the carnage and picked the Sterling out I was immediately impressed by the finish and weight. Definitely think more Real Sword or Inokatsu type quality rather than AGM who made the MP40 and MP44. The flat grey rough finish of cold steel filled my heart with joy and raised a very big grin on my face.

THE REAL VERSION It was all started at the end of the Second World War by the Sterling Engineering Company and produced and used right up until the 90’s - you’re talking AK47 operational life span! Hundreds of thousands of these 9mm pistol round-spitting bad boys were manufactured and sent out all over the world. From Argentina to Zimbabwe, all have used this reliable, simple and cost effective Sub Machine Gun. For all the similarities to the Sten (both in calibre and look as well as the ability to use Sten magazines), the Sterling was a much more refined animal and even in the US today is still thought of very highly as an enjoyable and controllable SMG by private shooters. The Sterling magazines were superior to the original straight Sten type, as they had a banana curve much like all rifles today. This aids feeding substantially which is clearly beneficial for obvious reasons. Better than all of those facts is that they were also used a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. That’s right! These were also used in the film Star Wars, as the Blastech E11 Storm Trooper rifles. 24

MAY 2014

THE ARMOURY L2A3 STERLING

“AS I OPENED UP ON THE TWO TARGETS I REALISED INSTANTLY THAT THIS RIFLE HAS MASSIVELY ABOVE AVERAGE ACCURACY. AT 35 METRES EVERY SINGLE BB LANDED WITHIN THE TARGET IN AN EXTREMELY TIGHT GROUPING” Of course, instead of 9mm rounds they ﬁred massively inaccurate laser beams at everything other than their targets. They can blow up a planet but can’t hit a Wookie? They need to watch Magpul Dynamics for some training!! But alas, I digress…

THE AIRSOFT VERSION It is apparently based on the Canadian version, which sparked outrage with some interwebz airsofters. Why the outrage? I’m not exactly sure as these are nearly identical in every way, only a rivet counter would really notice or care! If you set aside the destroyed box and lovely steel ﬁnish the weight is the next thing I noticed. It is not so much heavy as hefty and by that I mean it feels “real”. It is only a few hundred grams lighter than the real version and just as lovely in every way. However the ﬁrst stumbling block I found was the battery and although being realistic, there is not a great deal of options for powering the Sterling. If this had been produced 6 or 7 years ago you would have to have run an external battery, so thank Crunchie for Lipos. The second stumbling block was the Deans connector in that, oddly, it was a different size, which meant the batteries I used didn’t seem to connect. After swapping it over I got a 7.4v LiPo in

beside the barrel. It is tight so do not expect to get an 11.1v in there. I folded out the collapsible stock, which took me a few seconds to work out the proper sequence to have it sitting correctly and shoulder it. “Oh my!” I think were my exact words. I really did not expect such a nice replica from Airsoft Custom but these days I seem to be continually surprised with what manufacturers are doing, maybe I’m just cynical? One thing that made me very keen to try out the Sterling was what was inside it. Space is obviously a clear issue with this tube gun, there isn’t really much at all. Airsoft Custom have been very clever and used a Systema PTW Cylinder Tube to do all the hard work for them. Then they custom-made a CNC gearbox shell to house the gears. The only real drawback is the simple trigger does not allow for any single shot (I suppose it had to have a bad point somewhere). While the gearbox case is lovely the shimming has to be exact and I really mean exact. It is very easy to get it wrong and have a gear overlap. The motor was a short AK type and looked very bog-standard. I think nice high torque type would work nicely in its place. When you look at everything about the Sterling I really love it, apart from

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

THE ARMOURY L2A3 STERLING

L2A3 STERLING STEEL CONSTRUCTION WEIGHT 2.4KG POWER 315FPS FULL AUTO ONLY 40 ROUND MAGAZINE RRP OVER £400

MAY 2014

the price. I had hoped for a £300 price tag - and even that would be the upper end of what I would expect. It really is quite expensive given you have no single shot. As critical as I am being, I also have to consider the low production run - a steel custom rifle was never going to be cheap. The parts used internally are all very PTW styled, even the inner barrel and hop chamber are pretty much the Systema designs, which was an extremely interesting choice from where I stand. No one has ever done anything like this before. I am guessing whoever designed this really did have a love for the PTW internals. The 40 round magazine is also metal and doesn’t feel quite as weighty as I had hoped but it still feels good quality and sports and PTW style follower which pushes the last BB into the hop chamber. All set up with a battery and the 40 round magazine locked and loaded it was time to try it on the range. The lack of single shot meant there was only going to be full auto right from the start, although I also tried single tapping and was mildly successful. The two targets I used were MOD Fig 11 aluminium targets set out at 25 and 35 metres. As I opened up on the two targets I realised instantly that this rifle has massively above average accuracy. At 35 metres every single BB landed within the target in an extremely tight grouping using Blaster 0.25g BBs. The fun ended as quickly as is started as the 40 round magazine promptly ran out. Part of the reason for the accuracy is the hourglass-shaped hop rubber and the heavy inner barrel; the hop rubber gives a better back spin on the BB, the heavy barrel reduces vibration and gives the BB a more stable path. The only thing of note was the last few BBs seemed to dip like there wasn’t enough hop although I am unsure if this was just this individual rifle. Sadly I only had one magazine so my fun was quite limited each time and even with the 7.4v battery the rate of fire was pretty quick.

On the game field I can see this being a huge hit with all kinds of players. Personally I would love it as a “bad guy” rifle, it is certainly a lovely change from using an AK not to mention far lighter. It really did just make me want to kick open a door firing from the hip into a room with manic laughter. At the time of writing this article I am unsure about additional magazine pricing but I suspect they will not be overly expensive. You probably are going to need at least 6 or 7 for regular gaming (just to compete) and you would benefit from plenty of practice at speed reloading. At least with them being 9mm magazines, pouches are easily available. There are many period specific loadouts that are easily possible from the release of this rifle, with its working life covering so many conflicts and decades you really can do a lot with it.

CONCLUSION Set aside the use of hybrid PTW parts, an extremely basic gearbox that only fires fully automatic and carrying a high price tag is the Action Custom Sterling worth the coin? Personally I would struggle to justify it, the lack of single shot being my main put off. If I only played woodland then maybe but indoor or single shot engagements are going to be a problem. Let’s face it, you are going to want to use this compact nail driver close-in due to its small size. Yet I cannot help but really, really want it. I can see all the benefits of running this rifle even though those negative points are still there. I never started playing airsoft to save money by buying cheap rifles and being individual in airsoft is always great and important. So I guess it comes down to how much you

WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS, SO WHY IS EYE PROTECTION NOT THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY ON EVERY AIRSOFTER’S SHOPPING LIST? GADGE ASKED THE QUESTION AND YOU GAVE US YOUR THOUGHTS…

GARETH ‘GADGE’ HARVEY OUR RESIDENT HISTORY BUFF & FILM-SIM FANATIC HAS A PASSION FOR WWII, NAM-SOFT AND COLD WAR GAMING BUT STILL FINDS TIME TO FIT IN AN ‘OPEN DAY’ SKIRMISH WHEN HE CAN!

MAY 2014

DEBATE TIME AND THIS MONTH the subject is Eye Protection. How do you do yours? Are you a historical gamer who feels anything less than minimal clear Bolle glasses ruins the look, or are you a CQB nut who values their teeth? Do you despair at fogging lenses or are you an advocate of mesh face protection but curse when it gets dark? One of the most overlooked aspects of airsoft (no pun intended here) is eye/face protection; but how can something so vital and fundamental to the game often get mere lip service from many players (I’m not doing too well on the pun front here…)? In a game where a shot to an unprotected face can mean the possibility of an expensive trip to the dentist and, at worst, the loss of your eyesight, it’s frankly staggering that “eye-pro” is often way down on the shopping list for skirmishers. While many guys will happily spend hundreds of pounds on their AEG and loadout they will opt for some “work safety glasses” to protect their eyes and teeth. Many players do however see the importance of adequate eye-pro and more and more responsible sites are taking a hard line on what is (and isn’t) acceptable on their site. At a recent visit to a First & Only site, the head marshal explained in the safety brief that in the ﬁve years the site had been open the equivalent of two full sets of teeth had been smashed by bbs and careless players… Luckily no one had lost and eye. To this end the site had strict rules as to what eye protection could be worn, recommended full face protection and insisted upon it for those under 18. That’s just one example but the story is the same at good sites across the country. Other sites are going one step further and training their staff to be able to deal with eye injuries and sites like RIFT airsoft have gone the extra mile by putting an eye wash station in at their facilities.

DEBATE EYE PROTECTION

We put the subject up to our readers and here is what you had to say: Mike Roberts: “I’m a glasses wearer with goggles fitted with my own custom forced ventilation system. Never fog regardless of how hot or cold. Mesh face mask attached to the bottom of my goggles. Value my teeth and eyes too much to risk it just to look cool or “authentic”.” Martin Dawson: “Either ESS V12 goggles or Guarder C4 glasses for me as I find they’re most comfortable. However I fully accept it’s my fault if I get shot in the face.” Sean BE: “I have been looking into this and have discussed eye injuries with my local site. They are going to have an eye wash station and have training on how to deal with an eye injury, which is excellent. The problem is that shards get through mesh and present the same danger as not wearing any. It’s better to have a tactical pair such as ICE or ESS goggles that are tried and tested in the military field.” Chris Mcleary: “I run ICEs, V12s and Bullet Ants because they all hold my prescription inserts. Mesh lowers are great, especially if you trim the mesh to the profile of your eyepro. Never been one for the Ao2/hockey style face masks, mainly because being an astigmatism sufferer makes using mesh near impossible. If there was a full face mask that had lenses and an insert clip I’d buy it in a heartbeat.” So we’ve established you’d be stupid to play without good eye-pro but the big debate is what actually is the best form of eye pro? For many it’s a toss-up between “looking cool” and “being safe” with most players finding themselves somewhere along that line. Notably, the proponents of “shooting glasses only” seem to come from the more MilSim and historical field of airsoft, where an accurate loadout of your chosen unit and time period is a sizable part of the experience. To many of these players a full face mesh “fencing mask” on, say, a WWII loadout would ruin the illusion and so they are prepared to take the chance with protection that offers the minimum. Perhaps the slower pace and limited ammo of MilSim-type games makes this less dangerous than touting a pair of Bolle glasses at your local CQB open day, but who is to say… Is it worth the risk to look the part? Recently Airsoft Action have seen players at WWII and Nam events with anatomically sculpted full face masks painted to look like real faces – a suitable compromise perhaps? CQB players seem to be those happiest to don full face masks or, at the very least, wrap heavy scarves around their teeth due to the closer contact ranges encountered and usually those with the heaviest protection are those that have already found out the hard way that teeth don’t stand up too well to 350fps! Another angle on the eye-pro debate is the various merits of mesh versus plastic lens protection. Proponents of mesh glasses and masks will often feel happier knowing that their vision will not fog up in the heat of battle but will be the first to admit that in low light a mesh visor can be a big hindrance. Perhaps the biggest worry though (and the jury is still out on this) is of the potential hazard from mesh masks fragmenting BBs and these tiny slivers of plastic still damaging the eye behind the mask. Matt Houghton: “Revision all the way, Bullet Ants for CQB and carry a mesh mask for hairy engagements or CQB. Revisions retain my prescription inserts and I feel very safe.” Andy Cusick: “Been playing in glasses since 2003 and not lost any teeth as I avoided running round grinning like an idiot. Got some mesh goggles for sniping as they reduce shine and don’t fog. Just got a GSR respirator to complete the look of a CQB load out.” Andy Archer: “I use Revision Sawfly specs for both woodland and CQB. Gumshield or genuine “Gucci pout” to protect the teeth when going round corners/ through doors etc.” Joe Crowther: “Full seal goggles all the way for me. Revision Bullet Ants with foam removed + cat crap means no fogging and no chance of a round slipping round/under glasses. Then a lower mesh mask + wrap, though will soon be moving to a wrap with mesh sewn in.” Angelo Di Vito: “Mesh all the way. No fog zone. The rest of the team like me wearing a balaclava but I think that is just because they are sick of looking at my face.” Lee Hill: “I have been playing Airsoft for around 7 years, I originally started with ESS ICE but moved to Revision due to issues with fogging. I might add that I run no lower face

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

calls with the rest of my face (one recently, a shot square under the nose from about two inches away. A little to the left or right and it would have been right up there!). I still won’t wear mesh masks or anything, I find they’re just way too restrictive. I know the risks and I take said risks. So far, I’ve been lucky.” Liam Olphert: “Mesh mask and mesh goggles. Tried ESS lenses but I sweat like a nun in a cucumber field so didn’t get on with them.” Ed Ford: “I go for mesh glasses and lower face mesh guard. It’s not about the look. It’s just about preservation of things you only get once.” Patrick Storrar: “Indoors I wear glasses without the nose piece, with the lenses altered to sit comfortably on my face so there’s no gap. I wear a shemagh to save my teeth, not exactly 100% protection but is comfortable enough and does the job. Outdoors I put the nose piece in so it doesn’t fog.” Frank Castiglione: “After my team mate was nearly blinded the other week, I have switched to Revision Bullet Ants and keep some sealed mesh slim goggles as back-up. Being 20ft from him when that happened really brought my safety home!” Peter Barbour: “Most woodland games I will just wear my revision Sawflys, but for FIBUA or CQB will wear lower face pro as well, as I lost a couple of teeth on a CQB training day a few years back and never going to let that happen again !” Daniel Fowler: “I have to wear larger goggles to fit over my specs and a customised mesh lower to protect my teeth as I have had a tooth shot out and it wasn’t a nice experience.”

protection even though I predominantly play CQB. I am well aware of the risks involved with my choice, but the way I see it, I’m not hurting anyone or forcing my opinions upon anyone so I ﬁnd it strange why so many people are calling for ballistic glasses to be banned.” Will Green: “I prefer CoverT glasses, with changeable lenses. Tinted (silver or purple/green), Yellow or Clear. I’ve had a few close

INFORMATION IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR QUERIES ABOUT YOUR EYESIGHT AND HOW TO BEST PROTECT IT WHILE PLAYING AIRSOFT, YOU CAN CONTACT ANDY VIA EMAIL AT: TACTICALOPTICIAN@AIRSOFT-ACTION. CO.UK.

MAY 2014

As you know, Airsoft Action are please to Tactical Optician, Andy Bourne, on board, so we thought we’d let him add a few words… “We all appreciate the value of our eyesight, but protection isn’t perceived as a cool or shiny piece of kit. It’s just a pair of glasses that we have to wear, right? They get in the way, steam up, slip, get scratched, bent and generally receive a hard life. There isn’t a general consensus about eye pro, and there are not likely to be with an item so individual, just as there is no consensus about the “best” AEG. But there is a group who use this kit day in, day out. They use it for broadly the same reasons we do. They use it at the tip of the spear, and it is critical to them. They have the same issues with ﬁt, fogging, scratching as we do. They are our Armed Forces - and they have had ample opportunity to perfect their eye protection in the crucible of two warzones over the last ten years. This equipment has evolved to perform in high-threat areas and is tailor-made for us, being compatible with sights, riﬂes, helmets and all the bolt-ons we love. It will withstand all we throw at it and more. Military eye protection. It’s as “real steel” as you can get.” Andy Bourne BSc MCOptom

SAFEGUARD ARMOUR STEALTH VEST SO YOU FANCY WEARING BODY ARMOUR BUT WANT SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE “COVERT”? LIAM MCCORMICK MIGHT HAVE JUST WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR. WEARING BODY ARMOUR IN AIRSOFT? Is it necessary? Does it make you weird? Am I a geardo or pervert? Well yes and no! When contacted by Airsoft Action’s editor about trialing one of SafeGuard Armour’s protective vests, I was intrigued and excited to get my hands on what is becoming a popular and unspoken of piece of kit. Now, before I go into my review of the SafeGuard Armour Stealth Vest I want to touch on airsoft’s current popular choice of load bearing equipment, the Plate Carrier. Whilst there is no need to use them in airsoft as site chrono limits prevent lethal velocities, we like to wear them as they look cool, have plenty of load carrying capability, offer us basic protection against bumps and takes the sting out of close quarter hits ( and of course makes us look like Tier One operators!) Over the last few years I have noticed more and more players rolling with “real steel” plates and soft armour in their rigs, or wearing PACA style vests under chest rigs. When asked why, the common response was because they wanted to make their loadout as realistic and authentic as possible. Now I have no doubt that there are many of you out there who are reading this thinking “not a chance” or “typical bloody geardos” but that is what I love about airsoft, it is a truly diverse sport with players at both ends of the spectrum from day gamers to re-enactors and mil-simmers. On with the review… The Stealth Vest is made up of a Coolmax outer vest carrier, which houses the soft armour panels when worn and, due to the vest being Coolmax, you can wear it comfortably whether under a smock, soft shell or UBACs and rig conﬁguration. The sleek lines of this vest means it works well under any type of load bearing equipment from Plate carriers, Chest rigs and assault vests to bandoliers or webbing or belt rigs with braces.

MAY 2014

kit review BODY ARMOUR

The soft armour panels come in different “Threat Levels” depending on, you guessed it, the threat. This is really down to you and the limit of your credit card but level 3a is the standard in high risk and MODissued body armour. Rather than going into the ballistic capabilities of the armour, I will stick to what it was like to charge around the skirmish field whilst wearing it and I have to say, I didn’t notice any difference to my performance or gameplay. The nature of airsoft means that unless you’re a static sniper you’re going to be running, rolling, ducking, and diving your way through the skirmish field and unless you’re a t-shirt and shorts man rocking a single hi-capacity magazine, you’re going to get a little warm and sweaty regardless of your fitness levels. The Stealth Vest comes in at roughly 2.5kgs depending on size and covers you from collar bone to naval, protecting vital areas and organs whilst allowing free easy movement on the field, from crouching, bending or hunching over, without the vest rising on the upper body towards your throat or hindering arm movement. Whether giving target indications or conducting magazine or weapon transitions the vest stays put, keeping you comfortable and feeling in control. During usage of the vest I can honestly say I rarely noticed it and due to the elasticated, adjustable stretch Velcro attachments it did not hinder my breathing under heavy exertion. Thanks to modern ballistic technology the bulk of the vest has been kept to a minimum, meaning it was easily concealable under normal clothing or a soft shell. When tested specifically against airsoft threats it was fairly obvious that the vest could handle anything thrown at it, from 500fps .38g BB’s to an Oshiboom thrown from 2 metres. After a heavy weekend’s skirmishing the vest was easily maintained with a single zip, front and rear, to access the armour panels, it was easy to remove the inserts, meaning the outer vest could be chucked in the washing machine, leaving just the panels to be aired out. This is a nononsense simple piece of kit that requires no special care or maintenance

and ultimately I have no doubt that the Stealth Vest is more than up to the task of protecting against real life threats. However the question remains: Does this piece of equipment have a place on the skirmish ﬁeld? With military simulation games growing in popularity there are more and more skirmishers wanting to wear the same kit as real-world operators and law-enforcement ofﬁcers. Personally I have always worn armour in my rigs for the added realism but it goes without saying that it is not for everyone. SafeGuard Armour Vests are used in the real world and this writer knows of at least two others that are currently undergoing similar reviews in live situations. As I said, they are not for everyone but if you are looking for total realism in your particular loadout, then you cannot get more “real” than using the real thing.

INFORMATION STEALTH VEST: £60 (COVER ONLY) £440 (BALLISTIC LEVEL 3A) ARMOUR PANELS: 100% DUPONT KEVLAR COLOURS: BLACK OR WHIITE THE FULL RANGE OF SAFEGUARD ARMOUR PRODUCTS CAN BE FOUND ON THEIR WEBSITE; WWW. SAFEGUARDARMOUR.CO.UK

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

STORMFORCE AIRSOFT

STORMFORCE AIRSOFT ON A TRIP TO SEE HIS MUM, GADGE FOUND TIME TO GET A DAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PLAY IN - AND REDISCOVERED HIS SKIRMISHING MOJO AT THE SAME TIME! WITH OVER TEN YEARS OF AIRSOFTING under my belt I usually ďŹ nd it hard to get excited about going to Open Days. Call me jaded, call me grumpy but after about ďŹ ve years of playing airsoft I started to branch out into longer weekend games, often with set kitlists for the sides or tight historical constraints. While I always enjoy doing an open day review for Airsoft Action, your average Saturday Skirmish doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t usually really get me goingâ&#x20AC;Ś I say usually as my day out at Stormforce Airsoft got me as ďŹ red up about open days as ever before! While weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always included Stormforce Airsoft in our event listing weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d not yet had time to go and check it out but as luck would have it I have family in the area, so I suggested to the Ed that I pay a visit while visiting the folks! The site itself is quite accessible and easy to ďŹ nd although at the moment the epic levels of waterlogging the country is receiving has forced the site to restrict parking to the drier higher levels of the nearby farm, rather than the convenient grass car park adjacent to the safe area. So after parking up at the farm, getting my camera bags and my aegs on my shoulder it was just a short jog of about 200 metres to the safe zone.

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At the safezone I was met by site operator Mark Mitchell and introduced to his team of marshalls. Mark explained that while the site had been open for a few years, they were currently in the process of rebuilding a lot of the safe area but I have to say from my perspective it was well above the standard of many sites. After signing my disclaimer at the check in desk (which also provided free tea and coffee all day as well as reasonably priced snacks and cans of pop) I had a small wander around the safe area. Two spacious covered areas provided plenty of room for players to sort out their kit and swap tales between games and a separate hut was kept aside for the marshalls, not in any sense of aloofness but just to allow them to make any game decisions under cover and out of ear shot! Facilities

were good as well, with a small shop providing all a player’s essential needs from hire gun and safety equipment packages, through to pyros, spare bbs and the like. At the moment Stormforce provide a sturdy AK47 as their hire gun but are planning to provide “sniper” and “support gunner” packages very soon. It was pleasing to see that Stormforce had kept their “on-site” prices sensible and not ramped them up, as I’ve seen other sites do and I was also happy to see that a battery charging facility was available. While they never seems like a “big issue” until you need them the site’s toilet facilities were of a good standard and comprised of two portaloo type cabs (male and female) and fenced off gents urinal area to avoid queues (and to avoid people weeing over good hiding places on site!) Lastly and quite importantly I feel, there was an area set aside behind the safe zone as a firing range and chrono area. Airsoft Action applauds any site that insists on all guns being chronoed to the site’s limits (in this case 350 fps for AEGS and 500 fps for bolt action snipers) as we’ve been on the receiving end of hot guns too many times but in addition to the extra safety daily chronoing ensures, the accompanying firing range with targets set out at various distances up to about 150 feet allowed players to test out their gun, reset their hop and do any tinkering before the game - meaning the marshals didn’t have to waste time with a ‘knockabout’ game as an opener. As the players started to get themselves ready for the safety brief I noticed there was a very eclectic mix of players… all ages, both sexes and diverse nations! At the day I attended there was a pretty good turn-out (considering the truly appalling weather and massive ﬂooding in the area) although Mark assured me that what I thought was a good turnout, was really a bit below average for the site with their normal Saturday player total being around 70-90 and with numbers steadily growing.

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STORMFORCE AIRSOFT

â&#x20AC;&#x153;This game was a belter as both sides relentlessly attacked each other, outďŹ&#x201A;anked positions, assaulted defences and were in turn counterattacked.â&#x20AC;?

Site marshal Ian â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wigâ&#x20AC;? Lea commenced the safety brief and managed the daunting task of keeping everyone engaged and listening throughout. Having been a site marshal I know that while the regulars might find listening to the same script every weekend boring, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even more boring for you to have read it twice a week, 50 times a year! But, this brief was done with great humour, as quickly as possible and in an entertaining way; it was interesting to note that none of the players started to chatter in the background as so often happens when veterans attend the safety brief at their home site. Wig explained that the ďŹ rst game was a mission to try and blow up a succession of key targets by placing a dynamite prop on a marker point at each location. The two main targets would be the Church and the Fort. At this point itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably a good idea to describe the site itself. For a start itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretty big. Not only is it of a reasonable size but it also sports some great natural (and not so natural) features. The terrain itself is over 45 acres of classic Staffordshire woodland (and the guys plan to expand!), undulating, lightly wooded (in a natural non â&#x20AC;&#x153;forestry blockâ&#x20AC;? way) but with dense undergrowth and, despite it being the tail end of winter, a large proportion of evergreen trees and rhododendron bushes provided decent cover. In summer even more vegetation, including huge swathes of ferns and long grass, spring up and provide even more opportunities for the sneaky among you, but I was happy with the foliage available and found that I had ample places to conceal myself and snipe from. In addition to the siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural charm the guys have spent a lot of time and effort creating very good props and scenic items to build up a â&#x20AC;&#x153;suspension of disbeliefâ&#x20AC;?; be it the Coms Room with computers and telephone hotlines set up next to their operations maps, the Vehicle Pool with the Land Rover under repair or the Peasant Farm (I hope he means â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pheasantâ&#x20AC;?! Ed.), it all adds colour to a great site! Oddly, given the huge amount of rainfall in the area over the last

WWW.STORMFORCEAIRSOFT.CO.UK STORM FORCE AIRSOFT, LONGBARN FARM, BARDY LANE, BRERETON CROSS, RUGELEY, STAFFORDSHIRE WS15 4LD. DAY FEES: WALK ON (OWN GUN) - ÂŁ25 HIRE GUN AND DAY FEE - ÂŁ40 MEMBERS WALK ON - ÂŁ20 SITE MEMBERSHIP - ÂŁ20 LIFE MEMBERSHIP AND MEMBERS PLAYING THREE GAMES A YEAR GET A FOURTH GAME FREE AT THE START OF THE NEXT YEAR! GAMEDAYS: SATURDAY AND SUNDAY (NOT EVERY WEEKEND, RING TO CHECK) FPS LIMITS WITH .20 BB â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 350FPS AEG, 500 FPS SINGLE SHOT WEAPONS ( A SIDE ARM MUST BE CARRIED)

month, the site was not too waterlogged but I imagine this is possibly due to the other man made feature on the site, a small lake (more like a very big pond) with a damn across it and a large stream coursing from itâ&#x20AC;Ś Where water or mud hazards are more than could be considered reasonable, Stormforce have put decking or bridges down so unless you *want* to get wet you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to! Anyway back to the game. The Blue team were in defence and started off by putting the main body of their force in the elevated position of The Church; a wooden construction with a Chapel-like design and a small â&#x20AC;&#x153;graveyardâ&#x20AC;? adjacent to provide cover as well as a few open grave â&#x20AC;&#x153;trenchesâ&#x20AC;?. As the Reds relentlessly attacked the Blues eventually fell back to The Fort, a wooden camouďŹ&#x201A;aged bunker complex at the base of a small valley. Taking a position was hard for the Reds but good use of the sites medic rule (an in-game player must put their hand on your shoulder for ten seconds while neither ďŹ ring nor being ďŹ red at and this cannot be done in a building) and swift repositioning from regen points (white tipped posts at strategic points around site) allowed them to eventually get the upper hand. I decided not to play in the next game and took time to get some photographs of the players and the site in action. While itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always great fun to play at a new site and with new people and important to see how the site plays with your boots on the ground, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to forget why youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re actually there and look at the day objectively! Reluctantly, I dragged myself away from the game and sorted my camera out and journo gubbins out. The next game would involve the Blue team trying to locate and destroy some fuel cans held by the Reds and so tagging along to the tail of the Blues as they left the safe area, I tried to be as inconspicuous as possible (as much as one can be in an orange hi-vis vest!) and get some candid pics. This game was a belter as both sides relentlessly attacked each other, outďŹ&#x201A;anked positions, assaulted defences and were in turn counterattacked but try as they might the blues could not ďŹ nd the

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jerry cans before the end whistle was blown! It was rewarding to watch the players on both sides take their hits from bbs and pyro with total honesty and not once did I see a players shrug off a hit, or look around to see if anyone saw they’d been hit… It was a simple case of hand up and a shout of “Medic!” along with the occasional cry of “Good shot!” We broke for lunch and at this point we found out that the cause of the Blue’s failure to find the cans was largely due to the Reds stashing them away in a hiding place and while the Marshalls admitted they didn’t say they COULDN’T do it… Well, erm… they were not supposed to, so it was declared a technical Red win but a moral victory for the Blues. Lunch was a delicious hot dog and crisps (included in the day fee with extra hotdogs available if needed for just a quid each) and vegetarians can be catered for if booked in advance. After grabbing a much-needed coffee, I spent lunch chatting to the marshals and players and found out that the site was popular with students from Stafford University and also had a small contingent of under-18 year old players. Site marshal Paul explained that younger players had to wear full face protection – although all players are advised to in the safety brief – and had to be supervised by an adult player. Young players were encouraged and this is something I wholeheartedly agree with as, without encouraging 15-17 year old players, the hobby will lose its new blood. Equally supported were two-tone guns and no stigma seemed to be attached to any player choosing to use one, in fact there was a distinct lack of “safezone snobbery” altogether. The player base, as a whole, were very grass roots in my opinion and the lifeblood of the hobby. While most players chose to wear practical skirmishing kit rather than re-enactment level military simulations, I was told that the site has a strong following among WWII players and this is an avenue they would like to develop. Paul is also keen to do another Korean War event, which is possibly the first time I’ve ever heard of this being done in airsoft and had me hooked on the idea! After lunch it was time to get stuck in again and while I’d love to regale you with a blow by blow (or should that be bb by bb) account of the afternoon, it’s safe to say it was as fast-paced, wellstructured, well-marshalled and as fun as the first half. By the time I had to leave I was exhausted, sweaty and aching all over but had a smile on my face as I got in the car - although my mum had less of a smile on her face when I had to take her for a meal that night in my Tiger Stripes as I’d forgotten a change of clothes! As I said earlier, I’d begun to become a little jaded by the open day experience but my day out at Stormforce Airsoft re-invigorated me. While it’s just that little bit too far away for me to be there every time, you can guarantee I’ll be back there soon!

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фпа

UNIT 2, VULCAN FOUNDRY, HAIGH PARK ROAD LEEDS, WEST YORKSHIRE, LS10 1RT TEL : 0113 277 5237 EMAIL : LEEDSAIRSOFT@HOTMAIL.CO.UK

HAVING MET AT THE BRITISH AIRSOFT SHOW, NIGE INVITED THE TEAM TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THEMSELVES. WE ARE THE BIONIC DRAGONS, an airsoft team from West Yorkshire who were formed around two years ago, when just two of us started playing at Op-Tac’s The Stan in Sheffield. In just a pair of work trousers, a shirt and a fleece for armour we faced up against what could only be described as fully clad UK armed forces! We knew they were just seasoned airsofters but wow they looked pretty dam cool! However we soon found out that it wasn’t how you looked but how you played that really mattered. We can’t quiet remember the scores from that game but we can remember having a kick ass day and getting plenty of kills, as well as taking some good hits too. On the way home we were tired and full of it, yes we had the airsoft bug but there were loads of questions…. What could we buy? How could we buy? What would we kit ourselves out with? What primary weapon did we NEED? We went from there really; friends came and liked it and got the bug, we tried outdoor and indoor and we decided on a name for our new team; “The Bionic Dragons” (after the two founding players “Bionic” Si and “Dragon” Pete). We found our primary weapons to be M4s at that time and started building our armoury, adding side arms, BFGs, knives for stealth kills plus tactical equipment. One of our friends became our team’s gun technician and is kept quite busy with one thing or another. Our team grew more and more, friends of friends started playing and loving the sport. We started our private Facebook group and keep in touch with each other and plan and arrange games. We started playing at a new site just getting starting in Wakefield, FMA Airsoft and helped out writing game plans for them, marshalling for them and Bionic Si ran as head marshal for some time too. We have now also launched our public Facebook page www. facebook.com/bionicdragons and currently have 318 likes and followers mostly from the 40

May 2014

TEAM PROFILE BIONIC DRAGONS

UK but also have friends in Gibraltar (The Rock Scorpions who we have played against and are a fantastic team), plus followers in the USA and Europe which, for a small team, we think is really good. We post pictures, jokes, have competitions to win things like a red dot sights and offer advice for new airsofters and welcome other airsoft players and teams. Currently we have 20 members of different ages and different characters. We have also introduced a military theme into the team and have a Captain, Sargent and Corporals who have their own fire teams and different roles. It’s great on the ground and in game and lots of fun out of game with plenty of joking around on nights out and other (out of game) team activities. Finally we also needed a badge - the all-important team patch which every team needs. After a team brainstorm the design came together slowly, as lots of input from the members was taken in until finally we narrowed it down to a few final choices, then with some colours it got finalised and completed! So here we are today. Our team armoury is a multitude of weapons; M4s galore, MP5s, LMT, Raptor, PDR-c, P90, Scar and a multitude of shot guns and pistols. The British Airsoft show didn’t really help (it only made our collection grow!), however we did get to meet the Airsoft Action guys while we were there. This year we’ve been playing at one of our favourite sites for fantastic game play; the Tac House Spartan Chesterfield, where we regularly enjoy theme-based CQC action all day long and we have plans to visit sites in Halifax, Hull and Manchester plus some others further afield as the year progresses. Shoot you later… The Bionic Dragons

INFORMATION IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR TEAM FEATURED IN AIRSOFT ACTION, SEND AN EMAIL TO NIGE@AIRSOFT-ACTION.CO.UK AND HE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE NEED.

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

SEND IN THE CLONES

DOES A&K’S MASADA CLONE FLATTER TO DECEIVE? JAY SLATER PUTS THIS £250 COPY OF A £480 RIFLE TO THE TEST.

JAY SLATER

Jay fell in love with airsoft not so long ago and has too many guns. An active member of the South London airsoft scene, Jay is also a publisher of military and history books

BE CAREFUL FOR WHAT YOU WISH FOR as it is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If one is truthful, past experiences of top-end AEGs, including Systema and Celcius, that command sky-high prices have been less than stellar. For example (and this is admittedly a flawed illustration), look at the Apple and PC as computer juggernauts. One is vastly overrated and ridiculously expensive whereas the latter does the same job without fail and is also incredibly stylish (such as the beautiful Leonova Yoga 13) move over Apple boys with your flawed operating system, dreadful computers and twisted logic. The same principle can be levelled towards the airsoft incarnation of Masada’s Adaptive Combat Rifle (ACR). In one corner, there is a £480 official Magpul version and in the other, A&K’s £250 rifle. Aesthetically pleasing and similar to that of a SCAR and an M4, the A&K Masada features a folding stock, flip-up sights, QD barrel, working bolt catch, removable hand guard, ambidextrous fire selector and magazine release, QD sling mounts, extendable stock with several positions and adjustable cheek rests - the Magpul lacks the latter and is essential for taller players as well as CQB operations. Although no sniper rifle, this beauty can certainly hold its own as a dependable CQB primary weapon and also benefits from being able to use a variety of M16 magazines. Made of polymer and metal construction, the A&K variant feels solid and well-made and the package is complete with a nifty P90 magazine that is sturdy and also benefits from a window panel to gauge ammunition expenditure. Also, this particular model clocks in at a hefty 400FPS – this is not your average sharpshooter. So far, so good and so wunderbar. Designed by Magpul Industries in 2006 and later licenced to Bushmaster, the Yankee-made Masada can either punch the 5.56x45 NATO round or the 6.8mm Remington slug. Originally named after the Siege of Masada (and a half-decent

MAY 2014

television movie starring Peter O’Toole), the Masada was designed to replace the ageing M16. Estimated to wallop some 600-800 rounds per minute, the weapon’s calibre could easily be replaced in seconds by changing the bolt head, magazine and barrel – very handy for a hunter and the “long shot kill”. Armed with a thirty-round magazine of polymer construction to be more resistant to shock and awe, the Masada is loved and hated by operators despite being a bastardised love child of some seven different assault rifles. A former US Army Ranger commented that although the rifle packs a hardcore cordite wallop, the butt-stock adjustment is extremely hard to operate when debris is introduced; the pistol grip is unchangeable with an unnatural feel; and its ambidextrous features led to accidental releasing of magazines and safety when fielded. With that being said, the Masada also has its supporters, despite a flaw in the civilian model that allows full-auto firing. Or in other words, “modern sporting machine guns” for the American public. Eyeball candy-wise, there is little difference in terms of quality between the Magpul and A&K and the latter also features a most handy retractable/extendable stock, upper rail for scopes and is ideal for woodland and tight CQB conditions. The metal parts of this rifle include the barrel, upper receiver, front and rear sights, flash hider, QD sling mounts, charging handle and bolt cover. It reeks of high quality despite its mid-budget price and is without wobble or artistic distractions. Notably, it is a light assault weapon being able to be wielded for long periods without issues and at 400 FPS, is a recommended Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) that can hit a human target flawlessly at 200 feet. However, to fire on single shot only – the majority of sites will not allow a fully-automatic DMR due to their excessive FPS – a MOSFET alteration is highly recommended. With astonishing build quality for its price, .30 GoldenBall and Madbull BBs are the way to go to compensate

THE ARMOURY A&K MASADA

“IT IS A LIGHT ASSAULT WEAPON BEING ABLE TO BE WIELDED FOR LONG PERIODS WITHOUT ISSUES AND AT 400 FPS, IS A RECOMMENDED DESIGNATED MARKSMAN RIFLE (DMR) THAT CAN HIT A HUMAN TARGET FLAWLESSLY AT 200 FEET” for its high firepower - .20s and so forth will simply not follow their intended trajectory and zip in all directions like demonised wasps: you want certain destruction and you get it with this A&K Masada monstrosity! Wack! Wack! Wack! Like a pneumatic hammer of automated airsoft death, the A&K Masada let rip, its range and power constant as it pulverised its target without mercy. At 100 feet, the range, performance and delivery were critical and absolutely perfect, the target constantly punctured with sublime accuracy and power. At 150 feet, there was little difference in stopping power and a man-size target should be easily hit at some 200 feet – not at all bad considering the low cost and extreme pedigree of the A&K Masada. Every BB fed flawlessly and the Masada seemed to relish its unsatisfiable thirst for ammunition and spitting out balls of destruction with long range, power and oomph! Its build quality is astonishing and superb; however, two instant distractions are the limited power of the 8.4 volt mini battery – it does not keep its charge for long and the generous space afforded by the front stock allows larger batteries to be stored – and it is advisable to change the gearbox as it lacks serious punch and relish.

As a consequence, the trigger response is somewhat dull and slow, and a replacement motor to allow a higher rate of fire can be achieved. Although the A&K version can be heavily modified over the Magpul, which is very smooth and refined, the latter cannot be upgraded to the enth degree, as afforded by its cheaper sibling. With that being said, a tight-bore barrel is also recommended to allow greater accuracy and grouping, and to be fair, the traditional gearbox does the trick. It’s a love and hate affair: the Magpul with its beautiful gearbox or the cheaper A&K that can be heavily modified and outperform its overpriced brethren. But the A&K does have a number of failings from a lack of proper trademarks and the front compartment that seems to revel in showing bright, coloured battery leads. There are reports of magazine wobble – although the test specimen was rock solid and performed like a trooper – and gave a respectable 700 rounds per minute, although modifications can upgrade performance to a gut-wrenching 900-1,000 rounds per minute. That’s some serious hardcore machine-gun cha-cha-cha with downrange power and accuracy.

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

THE ARMOURY A&K MASADA

So, you pay your money and you take your choice. If you want the Masada, you can either pimp it for the expensive Magpul or go for the respectable A&K and possibly opt for mild customisation to further enhance a decent weapon. At the end of the day, the factory standard A&K will serve you proud as you rain DMR balls of fury into the opposition from a long range - and do it accurately to boot. Internal modiямБcation is entirely your choice and as it stands, the DMR A&K Masada is 7 lbs and 35 inches of gun-slinging nirvana and airsoft ecstasy. We like!

FEATURES WEIGHT: 8 LBS LENGTH: 650 MM/905 MM BARREL LENGTH: 340 MM HOP-UP: ADJUSTABLE SHOOTING MODE: SEMI/FULL GEARBOX: 2 AEG POWER SOURCE: UP TO 9.6 VOLTS/ MINI-HANDGUARD (NICKEL/LI-PO) BARREL THREAD TYPE: COUNTERCLOCKWISE BARREL THEAD DIAMETER: 14 MM MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 300 ROUNDS POWER: 400 FPS MANY THANKS TO NOVAT COMBAT FOR SUPPLYING THE REVIEW SAMPLE, WHICH WE WILL BE GIVING AWAY IN A FUTURE AIRSOFT ACTION COMPETITION -SO KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR THAT! NOVAT COMBAT ARE BASED IN GUERNSEY AND CAN BE CONTACTED VIA THEIR WEBSITE: WWW.NOVATCOMBAT.COM OR ON FACEBOOK: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ NOVATCOMBAT

MAY 2014

Pictures: Oscar James Photography

GARETH ‘GADGE’ HARVEY

Gadge is our resident history buff and FilmSim fanatic. He has a passion for WWII, Nam-soft and Cold War gaming – but still ﬁnds time to ﬁt in an open-day skirmish

april 2014

SIMILARITIES WITH CURRENT EVENTS DO NOT GO UNNOTICED AS GARETH “GADGE” HARVEY RECREATES A GERMAN SOLDIER FROM THE 1980’S

In the later Cold War years, while some countries like Britain could boast armies entirely made up of dedicated and professional volunteer soldiers many nations, particularly those at war like the USA in Vietnam, felt the need to resort to compulsory military service. One such nation that relied heavily on “conscription” to swell its ranks was the Federal German Republic, which fielded an army made up from a large proportion of drafted citizens backed up by a smaller cadre of career soldiers, NCOs and Officers. Following WWII the newly formed West Germany was initially garrisoned by the US, French and British. In the 1950s a small 10,000 man Border Guards service was established but increasing tensions with the Soviet Union following the Korean War, made the western allies realise that re-arming Germany was essential to the defence of the West. For the new Federal German army or “Bundeswehr”, drafting its young men into the armed forces was more than just an easy way of swelling the ranks, it was a political statement as well. Post war conscription symbolised that the new army was something different from the previous, overly martial armies of WWI and WWII and very much a “Citizen’s army”. Conscription or “Wehrpflict” was introduced in 1956 for all ablebodied male citizens between 18 and 45, with the exception of those who were either conscientious objectors or were members of families persecuted by the Nazis. In addition those objecting to military service could elect to serve in a number of civil projects, such as disaster relief or emergency services. While the Soviet Union was alive and considered a threat, conscription did indeed fill out the bulk of the 495,000 servicemen in the German armed forces (this number could be doubled by pulling in reservists) and even after the collapse of communism the system was kept in place until 2011 – although by this point conscript soldiers found they had little to do within a largely professional army that had no use for short service recruits. This “citizen soldier” approach did lead to the famously smart German army of yesteryear looking decidedly scruffy during a proportion of the cold war years, as conscripted soldiers rarely felt the pride that those who had chosen to join the army felt for their profession. Of note was one short-lived experiment in the 1970s to allow German servicemen the opportunity to grow their hair long if they wished, which gained the Bundeswehr the nickname “German Hair Force” with British soldiers. Basic training (Allgemeine Grundausbildung) for a recruit consisted of a minimum of two months of combat training, then four months service at their assigned post. Conscripted soldiers frequently served at lower ranks than their professional counterparts and most would only reach the rank of Obergefreiter - akin to senior private or junior lance corporal. While conscripts were not paid a massive amount compared to their career soldier comrades, they did receive free health care, accommodation and food during their service.

THE BACKBONE OF NATO Despite being drafted, for the larger part the Bundeswehr was considered one of NATO’s best armies. It was heavily armed, well equipped and technologically advanced compared to many NATO nations by the 1970s. West Germany had been adamant in insisting to NATO that should the Soviets invade the West, they would not concede an inch of their territory and forced NATO to deploy substantial forces right on the border between East and West. To their credit, the Bundeswehr manned a sizable proportion of these positions and were considered by many to be the backbone of NATO’s defences in a third world war. Some NATO theorists were sceptical of whether, if push came to shove, the Bundeswehr would ﬁght against its fellow Germans in the east but few in NATO who had trained with the Bundeswehr on exercise felt this way. Despite its signiﬁcant commitment to NATO’s security, the Bundeswehr was never permitted to deploy outside of its own borders on operation in aid of NATO or the UN and it would not be until 1993 and operations in

COLD WAR WARRIOR BUNDESWEHR CONSCRIPT 1980

Somalia, that German troops would step outside of the Fatherland for the ﬁrst time in 50 years. Our cold War Warrior this month represents a typical conscript soldier of the Bundeswehr of the late 1970s to early 1980s. In contrast to our elite Pnazergrenadier featured in a previous issue, he presents a slightly more dishevelled appearance. While most of his basic uniform is the same we will refresh our memory by looking at it once again and also highlighting some new cold and wet weather kit issued to the conscript. As with the Panzergrenadier, his basic uniform is the olive green 1960 pattern combat suit known as the ‘Feldanzug Olivfarben’ (olive green combat suit). This uniform replaced the poorly received 1950s three piece suit which was uncomfortable due to a built-in waterproof lining. The 1960s pattern of suit was, in contrast, much more comfortable and based on the olive drab uniforms worn by many of Germany’s NATO allies, sharing similarities with the British 60 pattern uniform and the US OG-107 BDU. The basic uniform consisted of a soft green full button undershirt and jacket and trousers in a “moleskin” fabric. All of these items initially came in ‘olive green’ but repeated washing and wear frequently lifted the shade of the uniform to a light greeny-grey and gives an unknowing nod to the German army’s “ﬁeld grey” roots. Initially jackboots in the traditional German style were issued but these quickly gave way to laced black ankle boots (although some units retained jackboots for some time). Headdress was either a traditional “schiffen” (boat) side cap or in some specialist services, a beret or mountain cap.

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Notable on this webbing set are the large rubbery green G3 ammo pouches that, while a “modernization”, feel incredibly cheap and nasty! Arming our man is the venerable G3A3 battle rifle adopted by the German army in the late 50s and based on the Spanish CETME rifle. The G3 would serve the Bundeswehr until re-unification and the adoption of the G36 assault rifle. During the 80s several successor rifles for the aging G3 were considered, including a revolutionary 4.85mm caseless “G11” rifle but, unfortunately, the design was plagued by failures and became too expensive to implement. If you’re not a fan of the G3A3, other suitable alternative small arms include the UZI (Mp2 in German service) and the MG3 (a rejigged WWII MG42!) Lastly, protecting our conscript from artillery and the elements are two items the German M62 steel helmet and his rain poncho. The poncho was a simple but effective piece of kit and similar items could be found on both UK and US soldiers. A rubberised fabric sheet with a central hood formed the garments basis but press stud closures along its edges allowed several soldiers to create bigger shelters by connecting their ponchos together, when a more permanent protection from the rain was required. The M62 helmet is a clear copy of the US M1 helmet and like its US cousin, consists of a plastic inner shock liner with affixed internal suspension and an exterior steel protective layer. So there you have it, this month’s Cold war Warrior isn’t particularly glamorous but it is interesting! It’s a shame however that this kit is so rarely seen on the “camo obsessed” skirmish fields of the UK airsoft scene. It’s also somewhat sad that this once “cheap as chips” kit is now drying up and, whereas a full uniform in the 90s would have left you with change from £20, some traders are now trying to charge that for a shirt. But if you can find it at a decent price, the Bundeswehr uniform will probably last you a long time… I know mine has!

US INFLUENCE Our soldier is kitted out for a reconnaissance patrol on a cold winter’s morning and so wears some more specialist winter kit, most notable being the extremely warm cold weather “parka”. These comfy and practical coats were once commonly seen on the UK’s student scene as surplus stocks from Germany flooded the UK market after re-unification but are now becoming more expensive. Composed of a showerproof olive green outer layer, with a warm “fake fur” fleecy inner liner, the parka became a firm favourite with soldiers as the liner could quickly be removed should it not be needed. Made of similar fake fur and water repellent fabric is our soldier’s cold weather cap. This cap can be either worn as shown here or with the folded upper part secured down around the ears and chin in extreme conditions. Footwear is the standard German army combat boot, with its speed-lacing system that was at the time innovative and saw NATO soldiers from the UK and US eager to source a pair for themselves (the astute will notice our soldier is wearing a “look-a-like” pair of boots, as genuine 80s examples are now harder to source) but as aforementioned, tank crew and other units would often wear calf high slip on “jackboots”. Our recruit’s webbing is minimal and contains merely his ammunition to supply his G3A3 battle rifle and a water bottle and canteen set… basic essentials for a night recce patrol. The webbing itself is clearly derived from the leather and steel WWII “Y strap” system and, by the 1980s, was clearly showing its age. Its plethora of metal upon metal parts made it noisy and its heavy webbing construction made it stiff and inflexible. 48

april 2014

ROVING AA REPORTER LES LEE WENT DOWN TO THE WOODS JUST OUTSIDE SOUTHAMPTON FOR A DAY - BUT WAS HE IN FOR A BIG SURPRISE?

LES LEE Les has over 25 years shooting experience – but now his focus is airsoft. Safety and common sense are his strengths – and he just loves his handguns

MAY 2014

‘TWAS A GLORIOUS SUMMERS DAY.....in the spring, when I pointed my trusty sat-nav in the direction of Hampshire, where today’s journey would conclude. There, nestling on the edge of the New Forest, lies a heavily fortified woodland battlefield known as Ambush Adventures. From the M27 just West of Southampton, take the B3079 North which will wind you into the wilderness to Postcode SP5 2DW, along a nice hard top road where you will see the sign welcoming you to the site. Ambush Adventures was formed some 20 years ago by Charlie James (AKA “The Godfather of Airsoft”) at the wellestablished Chobham site, which is predominantly Skirmish with a monthly Young Guns day. Other Ambush sites include The Depot (Milsim, CQB and Night games), The Garrison (Urban Milsim), Badlands (Milsim), The Kill House (CQB) and last (but definitely not least) Longmore (Milsim). Ambush Southampton is run by Matt Beddows, aided by his shapely assistant and Head Marshall Dave Barry while Steve, the site owner, makes the grub and overseas the Safe Zone. Ambush Southampton uses a well-managed paintball site and has one game a month at the moment but, by sharing the already developed facilities, you can at least have creature comforts such as car parking for 60 cars, a covered safe zone, an on-site shop (more about that later), toilets with real toilet paper to wipe your bum and running water, plus battery charging and as I said, hot food from Steve. Lunch is included in the £25 walk on fee (or £20 for AA members) and gun hire is available if booked in advance. Players aged 14 upwards (supervised) are welcome to take

the game day to maximum capacity of 85 which is a nice, manageable number. It was clear to me that quality out-ranks quantity here (which is always a nice touch) and it shows you these guys are in it for love and not money. Of course Health and Safety is highest on the list of priorities as I saw strict enforcement of basics by the marshals. Cheating will not be tolerated...GOOD AND ONLY CALL! Ambush Southampton is located in over 50 acres of the New Forest, an unrivalled experience set in some fantastic terrain with an unlimited range of scenarios for the seven game areas, plus a mix of unique and traditional games. One of the great things about Ambush Southampton is that it suits all playing styles. For example, if you are a Sniper there are some areas with great cover, while those who prefer a more open style of play will also not be disappointed. This site will without doubt both suit the needs of your playing style and challenge your skills. Ambush Adventures Southampton is a pure woodland site, making up seven unique game areas that have been designed within the varied terrain, each with its own individual objectives such as were played during my visit. These included: Humans versus Zombies, Barrel Collection, Control Point, 4 Stage Attack and Defend and (the very intense) 3-Man Pistol Shootout in the Speedball Arena.Yes, this place wants for nothing! Even though there is more than enough natural cover for this site to become sniper heaven, close combat is not a term that has been forgotten and many a time you come face to face with friend and foe, whether you are using the natural cover or man-made barricades.

Simply put it is one of those sites that can cater for all sorts of needs and disciplines; sniping, close quarter battle, ambush, defence and attack. If you want something new and exciting then this is the place for you. The game play is limitless. The veteran Ambush players and Marshals were so impressed with the ready-made architectures that have been built into the wilderness of the New Forest, admiring the WW1 style trench system, a large fort and tower and a pirate ship....Yes, a Pirate Ship I kid you not (probably washed up in the recent ﬂoods), as well as the more common village and barricade zones which both include bridges and forest in the areas. For those who play Ambush sites frequently it genuinely is a mix of all the good stuff from Chobham (with about 20% less of the water and mud!) and Lasham with about 40% more buildings and Forts. Not forgetting the natural areas, the jungle where I would suggest those interested in Knife kills would be in 7th heaven – It is so thick you can be just a few feet away from your enemy and not see them! The Island (here is a two stage attack and defend, basically you end up attacking an Island!) and the Rabbit Field is a sniper’s paradise - and a range for some target practice and/or site zeroing.

SITE REVIEW AMBUSH SOUTHAMPTON

MARCH

This might all sound like it’s not very exciting, but it really is a must see and play! Five foot ferns and even bigger bushes along with a thick covering of trees provide excellent woodland terrain and a variety of tactical options of play. So even if it’s your ﬁrst site to play at, the mature bush is thick enough to help you, old timer or young gun it is very forgiving. Smoke grenades make for an impressive scene in any of the areas, not that there is a need for anything extra to conceal your position. It all depends on how “up close and personal” or brave you are feeling. Although the more traditional “capture the ﬂag” and “bomb the village” games are easily adapted to be played in any of the 7 areas, none of these have been used so far. The Marshals have thought long and hard, using all their spare time to come up with new game scenarios unique to each individual area. However this does not mean that the much-loved traditional games will never be played at the Southampton site and very soon the other half of the site will be re-opened, as it was closed due to Florida Everglades-like conditions (that might also explain the Pirate Ship being there).

THE ONSITE SHOP - JUST CAUSE AIRSOFT/SIERRA ALPHA SUPPLIES Just Cause Airsoft is run by a team of experienced players who aim to provide an excellent service to the airsoft world. They provide new and innovative products that arrive on the market within an affordable price range. Availability of products is their main goal, whether it is at site on game days, or by internet orders. 52

MAY 2014

They strive to keep good stock levels so you will not be disappointed. They also carry out gun repairs, upgrades and custom work for AEG’s, pistols and specialise in gas riﬂes and SMG’s. Worth noting is that new hydrographic water transfer service will be available in the near future. Simon told me that Just Cause Airsoft will continue to grow and add products to their website on a regular basis, new products will appear on the homepage as well as the newsletter and Facebook posts as they arrive. The guys run site shops at all Ambush Adventures Airsoft sites, where you can ﬁnd kit from Just Cause Airsoft and Sierra Alpha Supplies on site. Just Cause/Sierra Alpha Supplies are situated in Crondall just outside Farnham, Surrey, 10 minutes from junction 5 on the M3. If you would prefer to visit them there, give them a call on 01252 850 271 to arrange a time.

SUMMARY Although this is a relatively new site for Ambush Adventures, many of the veterans have decided this is their favourite, due to its amazing potential. Not only the players have this view, the Marshals are enjoying the freedom and challenge of the new unlimited range of scenarios to be planned and played out. There is no doubt that once the reputation of the site starts to grow and the guys at Ambush have had a chance to do a few build days, to sort out the areas which currently have no “manmade” inﬂuence, this site will become an amazing place to play for airsofters from all walks of life. My opinion, well it’s deﬁnitely in my top three sites that I have visited in my travels in the South. It ticked all the boxes (and then some) and it has something for everyone. And if I was to single out one point that impressed me the most it was quite simply the impeccable sportsmanship. Without that, airsoft just wouldn’t work, would it? Les OUT!

SITE REVIEW AMBUSH SOUTHAMPTON

“AMBUSH SOUTHAMPTON IS LOCATED IN OVER 50 ACRES OF THE NEW FOREST, AN UNRIVALLED EXPERIENCE SET IN SOME FANTASTIC TERRAIN WITH AN UNLIMITED RANGE OF SCENARIOS FOR THE SEVEN GAME AREAS, PLUS A MIX OF UNIQUE AND TRADITIONAL GAMES. ” Postscript… After I had ﬁnished writing my review, Ambush received the following from a player who was there. “Morning Ambush, Normally I never write reviews, however I really did feel this was needed for yesterday’s game. Me and a couple of friends decided to come along, and it was incredible. I thoroughly enjoyed both the morning and afternoon games, and couldn’t thank the staff enough. Morning Game, it’s a shame the other side isn’t open at the moment, but hey it happens! Me and the pals were assigned to the blue team and my god... all of the IOA (Invite Only Airsoft) players were a delight to be paired up with. Special mention to “Pierre”, excuse the spelling of the name if incorrect, but you sir are ‘ducking’ Chuck Norris’s brother. I must say it was one of the best airsoft days we have been on, and we have been airsofting for the past 6 years, attending milsims, night games, etc. It was small teams, whole site (Half of it) was open, you could attack 360 degrees, this is what we love, we love being able to be sneaky ‘ducks’, and the fact it was small teams always make an airsoft event feel more of a “Brother Hood” Afternoon Game, Normally I’m not a fan of the 3 phase attack and defend, but something was different this time, I feel the ability to attack 360 degree really did change my view on this game mode, and I must admit... it’s become a bit of a dirty little secret of mine.

1st time in 6 years I have been random chronoed. It’s about time. May seem odd I want that but you forever hear about in briefs “Random Chrono’s” will happen throughout the day, but never happens, and I was shocked at 1st, but of course it’s a good thing as the Marshalls were ensuring my own safety is a priority. I would like to personally thank the Marshalls for yesterday and IOA for being what airsoft should be about, a small community having a great laugh! Nyck Woodward.” Says it all really!

INFORMATION FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE GUYS AT AMBUSH ADVENTURES ON THE FOLLOWING. PHONE: 07872 167266 OR BOOK ONLINE: AMBUSHADVENTURES.CO.UK

MARCH

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STEN VS MP38/40

STEN V MP38/40

IN THE FIRST OF A NEW SERIES, MILITARY HISTORIAN WILL FOWLER PITS TWO ICONIC WEAPONS AGAINST EACH OTHER TO SEE WHICH ONE REALLY WAS BEST.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;ALTHOUGH THE MP 40 WAS GENERALLY RELIABLE, A MAJOR WEAKNESS WAS ITS 32-ROUND MAGAZINE.â&#x20AC;?

MP40 W-SS troops Normandy 1944, either 12th SS Panzer Div (probably) or 2nd SS Panzer Div (possibly).

IN THIS FIRST DIVE into the world of comparison, I have chosen two of the most well-known sub-machine guns from World War 2; The German MP38/40 and the British Sten. First up, the MP38/40â&#x20AC;Ś Although designed by Berthold Giepel and Heinrich Vollmer, the co-directors of Ermawerke, Erma has unfairly become known by the name of Schmeisser, after Hugo Schmeisser who was the senior designer at Haenel, of Suhl. Haenel manufactured the weapon and perhaps that is why Schmeisser has received the credit for these iconic submachine guns.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;cooling stripâ&#x20AC;? ran back to the receiver. The front sights were hooded post type, with a V-notch flip up bar type rear sights set for 109 and 218 yds. The pistol grip and trigger combination drew on the US Thompson M1928 for inspiration - earlier SMGs had had a carbine style wooden stock.

It was the first sub machine-gun to have a folding metal stock, which reduced its size from 32.8 ins to 24.8 ins and made it ideal for paratroops and vehicle crews. Within and infantry section it was carried by the Section or Squad Commander, while infantry were armed with the bolt action Kar98k rifle.

The MP 38 went into production and in the campaign in Poland in 1939 it soon emerged that the weapon had a dangerous fault. When the SMG was cocked the bolt could easily be knocked forward accidentally causing it to fire. An improvised solution was a leather collar that fitted over the barrel with a strap that held the cocking handle. At the factory a simple safety catch was produced which consisted of a folding latch on the cocking handle, which could be engaged in a notch on the receiver when forward thus preventing any bolt movement. Weapons with this modification were designated the MP38/40

The MP38 was also the first SMG to use plastic in the form of Bakelite in its construction. It had a distinctive lug called a â&#x20AC;&#x153;resting barâ&#x20AC;? below the muzzle so that it could be fired on automatic through weapons ports, or over the side of vehicles with no danger of the vibration causing it to slip back inside. From the resting bar a metal fin called a

Although the MP 40 was generally reliable, a major weakness was its 32-round magazine. The MP 38 and MP 40 used a double-column, single-feed insert. The single-feed insert resulted in increased friction against the remaining cartridges moving upwards towards the feed lips, occasionally resulting in feed failures, a problem made worse by the 2 E 2 2

ingress of any dirt or other debris. It is perhaps ironic then that it is reported that it was Hugo Schmeisser who designed and patented the magazine. As the war progressed there was a drive to cut production costs and speed manufacture that led to the development of the MP 40, a weapon that had many of the external features of the MP38/40. In the new weapon machining was reduced to a minimum and steel pressings and welds used wherever possible. In the fighting in Russia, German soldiers armed with the MP40 found themselves outgunned by the Soviet PPSh41 SMG with its 71 round magazine. To address this problem, late in 1943 Erma introduced the MP40/1. This consisted of a special housing which took two, 30-round magazines fitted side by side. While this effectively produced a 60 round weapon, it also increased the weight to 11.9 lbs. It is estimated that, by the end of the war, some 1,047,000 MP40s had been manufactured.

%*D&, CALIBRE: 9X19MM LUGER/PARA WEIGHT: 4,7 KG LOADED, 4,03 KG EMPTY LENGTH (STOCK CLOSED/ OPEN):630/833 MM BARREL LENGTH: 251 MM RATE OF FIRE: 500 ROUNDS PER MINUTE MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 32 ROUNDS EFFECTIVE RANGE:CA. 100 METRES Next, the Sten sub machine gun… Following the fall of France and evacuation at Dunkirk in 1940, as the British faced the prospect of imminent invasion by a well-armed German Army, there was an urgent need for an inexpensive automatic weapon. The answer was a British submachine gun designed by Major R.V. Shepherd and Mr H.J. Turpin, from the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield. As a tribute to their ingenuity it was named after the designers and factory and called the STEN. It went into mass production and by the end of the war an estimated 3.25 million had been made in Britain and Canada. Cheap and easy to make, the Sten

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weighed about 8lbs and all marks of the weapon were blowback operated, with a cyclic rate of 540 rpm and a muzzle velocity of 1,201 feet per second. Magazine capacity was 32 rounds, but since there were always feed problems this was normally kept down to 30. Between 1940 and 1945 the Sten was modified and improved going through numerous marks. The Mark I Sten, which featured a flash hider, wooden furniture and folding hand grip, was quickly replaced by the Sten Mark II, which saw widespread issue (two million examples of this Mark were produced). The Sten was a very simply built weapon, with just 47 parts, mainly made from steel stamped and welded, sweated, pressed or riveted together. The only machined parts were the bolt and barrel. One of the requirements in the original design was that it could be made by manufacturers who were not specialist gunsmiths. This was exemplified by the Mark III, an even more simple version with a fixed barrel and all-in-one body and casing built by a firm of toy makers, Lines Brothers. The Mark III was issued to troops in time for the Normandy landings. Surprisingly though this was possibly the best version of the Sten, it was not produced in large numbers. The Sten first saw action at the disastrous raid at Dieppe in August 1942. In the weeks prior to the raid, Canadian soldiers found that many parts had to be filed, adjusted, and tested in order for the Stens to work properly. The first raid, Operation Jubilee, was cancelled in July and the Stens were withdrawn. A day before the remounting of the raid (now Operation Rutter), brand new Stens still in their crates and packed in grease, were issued out to some less than happy soldiers. The Sten was not popular among troops, who called it names like the “Plumber’s Nightmare” or “Plumber’s Abortion” because of its tubular construction. The reason for this dislike was that besides jamming, it could be ﬁred accidentally if the cocking handle snagged on clothing and especially if the Sten was dropped.

STEN VS MP38/40

STEN Mk.II

STEN Mk.IIS

STEN Mk.III

STEN Mk.V

Calibre

9x19mm

Weight, empty

3,26 kg

3,48 kg

3,18 kg

3,86 kg

Length

895 mm

900 mm

762 mm

Barrel length

196 mm

90 mm

196 mm

Rate of ďŹ re

550 rounds per minute

450 rounds per minute

550 rounds per minute

600 rounds per minute

Magazine capacity

32 rounds

Effective range

150-200 metres

50-100 metres

150-200 metres

SO HOW DO THEY MEASURE UP? In some respects it depends what you want from an SMG as both weapons fall into the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spray and Prayâ&#x20AC;? category. The Sten is lighter, easier to manufacture and by design can use the same magazine as the MP 38/40. Early models are pretty crude and unreliable however, like an old car it is a case of â&#x20AC;&#x153;it rattles and bangs but it gets you thereâ&#x20AC;?.

Home Gurad instruction to British women1941. Sten Mk1 (background) Sten Mk3 (foreground).

â&#x20AC;&#x153;THE STEN WAS NOT POPULAR AMONG TROOPS, WHO CALLED IT NAMES LIKE THE â&#x20AC;&#x153;PLUMBERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NIGHTMAREâ&#x20AC;? OR â&#x20AC;&#x153;PLUMBERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ABORTIONâ&#x20AC;? BECAUSE OF ITS TUBULAR CONSTRUCTION.â&#x20AC;?

The MP38 is a beautiful piece of engineering (in many ways very German) and it pioneered weapon design features and so from this perspective it deserves recognition. Both the Sten and the MP38/40 have roughly similar rates of fire, however the fact that the Sten is cheap and crude gives it an unexpected advantage. Its compact size, simplicity of manufacture and ease of dismantling (and concealing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it had ten parts) made it popular among Resistance groups on the Continent, especially as part of its original design criteria was that it could use captured German 9mm ammunition. In fact, the magazine was such a very close copy of the German MP40 magazine that, like the German version, it was prone to jamming. If the very unscientific assessment of â&#x20AC;&#x153;head or heartâ&#x20AC;? were applied, the MP38/40 wins on looks. The Sten is an ugly weapon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with the exception of the Mk V- but despite its reliability problems it delivers high volumes of automatic fire and so the â&#x20AC;&#x153;headâ&#x20AC;? would give the honours to the Sten.

Sten MkV Some of the first British Glider troops to set foot on French soil on D-Day. Left to right: Pte. Frank Gardner, Capt. Brian Priday and L/Cpl. B. Lambley. These men landed from gliders at 12:30am on 6th June.

I guess the final compliment comes from the enemy against who the Sten was employed. In 1944-45 the Germans copied it, producing weapons designated variously the 9 mm Maschinenpistole 3008, Volksmaschinenpistole, GerĂ¤t Potsdam and Maschinenpistole 749 (e).

Photo takjen by Sgt. Mapham on 15th June 1944.

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PRO-TACT TRAINING’S ANDY NIGHTINGALE GIVES US SOME TIPS FOR WHEN WE NEED TO GO GET DOWN - BUT KEEP SHOOTING ONE OF THE MOST OVERLOOKED and underestimated firearms skills within the combat and defensive program is the need for shooting from the ground. Many shooters are familiar with the “standard” prone shooting position, which is used in competition and many combat and defensive training programs. Although you may be familiar with the standard prone position, you may well be less familiar with other shooting positions from the ground. In this article I hope to introduce you to the world of ground combative shooting with the handgun. The most popular shooting position from the ground is the standard prone shooting position. This position involves the shooter laying flat on the ground, face down and facing their intended target. From this shooting position one can easily engage the target with good accurate results. Although the standard prone position affords the shooter maximum stability whilst shooting, it greatly restricts the shooter’s mobility. In the standard prone position the shooter has become as small a target as possible. A 12 inch high target is a lot harder to hit than a 6 foot target. Although whilst in the standard prone position you present a small target, you risk mobility to move off line or even to move into cover if the need should arise. When the lead starts to come your way at speed the need to move off line (away from your original position) is one sure way of the incoming lead missing you at the start of the storm, however being in the standard prone position prevents you from such action. Once off line you may wish to adopt the prone position or you may have no choice and already be on the ground. Whatever the outcome, you have to make a trade-off between stability and mobility. Adopting the standard prone position is a simple drill but, like all shooting drills, safety must come first. Whilst training, make sure that you are running the drill dry that is with no ammunition in the handgun and in a safe environment for training. The first step is to draw the handgun from the holster as you would in the normal way and apply the safety catch if it is not already on safe, taking into consideration all of the normal safety precautions. Keeping your eyes on the target at all times, orientate yourself towards the threat and adopt the single kneeling position. The next step is to place the weak (none firing) hand out in front of you for balance whilst making sure that you do not muzzle flash any part of the body and arm during this movement. Place the weak hand down on the ground in front of your head to steady you and kick back with the legs to end up in the standard prone position. Adopt a 2-handed firing grip on the handgun. When in this position you 60

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GROUND COMBATIVE

will notice that the bore line of the handgun is a lot higher than your eye line and that the gun is raised up due to the position of the elbows. This will become an unsteady ďŹ ring position as the recoil will be transferred to the elbows causing extensive muzzle ďŹ&#x201A;ip. The way to combat this is to roll the body to one side and lay the strong arm ďŹ&#x201A;at on the ground and then rest the head on the arm. This will give you a much steadier platform to shoot from and will also bring the gunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bore line down in line with your eye. From here you will be in a much more comfortable position and will be able to acquire your targets faster. To aid in stability whilst in this side on position you can bring one of your legs up into a bended position. This will stop you from rolling back onto your front and will allow you to obtain your magazines easier if they are situated on your weak side. You will also be in a much better position to breath without making the gun wander off target with every breath you take. If your intended target moves off line then all you have to do is to simply rotate your body by shufďŹ&#x201A;ing your legs to realign your aim with the target. The method of getting back to your feet is also a simple task. First it is recommended that you should apply the safety catch on the handgun. Push back on the weak hand and bring yourself into the double kneeling position then up into the single kneeling position. Making sure that the muzzle does not sweep any part of the body during recovery. The muzzle should be pointing towards the area of threat or down range at all times. From the single kneeling position stand straight up and into a desired shooting stance. Remember to maintain control of the muzzle at all times and to keep your eye on the target. Adopting the standard prone position is the most common position to shoot from when on the ground, but in the real world of combat and defensive shooting things are just not that simple. Most recorded handgun ďŹ ghts range from 0 to 7 feet. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s incredibly close and gun ďŹ ghts can be anywhere. In an urban environment you may be on ďŹ&#x201A;at and stable ground one second and have undulating and unstable ground, such as

rubble from a broken and rundown building, under your feet the next. Flat stable ground is the preferred choice but what would happen if you were to stumble and fall on uneven ground, or even be knocked over during a close quarter ďŹ ght and ďŹ nd yourself ďŹ&#x201A;at on your back? This too is a prone position as you are laying ďŹ&#x201A;at on the ground, but it is now unfamiliar territory. Will you have time to orientate yourself to the target and into the comfort of the standard prone position? Probably not. When laying on oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back it requires a lot more discipline. This is known as the supine position. The biggest problem you face when in this position is that if you are orientated towards the target (feet ďŹ rst) then you will have your legs out in front of your muzzle. As you can appreciate, this can be of some concern. Extra care should be exercised when shooting. If your handgun was drawn before being in the supine position then all well and good, but if you were surprised and had been knocked over or fallen and the handgun is still in the holster, then you will need to draw the weapon at speed but still ensuring safety to you and those around you that are not the target. The simplest way to safely draw the weapon from the holster is to lean your body to the weak side and draw the weapon in the same way that you would when in a traditional standing position. Draw the weapon straight out of the holster and up to the pectoral muscle and then simply point the muzzle in the direction of your intended target. This is the point where you should take care not to muzzle sweep yourself. Remember that this is an unstable shooting position to be in, so a correct two-handed grip on the handgun is the preferred method of shooting if you want your shots to impact your target. When drawing the handgun from the holster it is a good idea to keep the strong leg ďŹ&#x201A;at on the ground with the foot pointing up or inwards. Once the weapon is drawn from the holster the foot should be turned outwards and ďŹ&#x201A;at on the ďŹ&#x201A;oor if possible. To aid stability when shooting the legs should be splayed and can be brought up at the knees with the feet ďŹ&#x201A;at on the ground. One can ďŹ re from the ďŹ&#x201A;at position with the head raised or to aid in mobility one can adopt a sat-up position (a good work out for the abs

2 E 2 2

“Adopting the standard prone position is the most common position to shoot from when on the ground, but in the real world of combat and defensive shooting things are just not that simple.” and a 6 pack). Either will work fine but the sat-up position will give you a better peripheral view and aid in sight alignment. The inside and the outside of the legs can be used to support and stabilise the arms when shooting from the supine position, but remember to move the legs out of the way when moving the muzzle from one position to another. To recover from the supine position first apply the safety catch on the handgun and then sit up and swing the legs round so you are in the kneeling position. Use your weak hand to aid in stability whilst moving. Then simply stand up and adopt a preferred shooting stance. When shooting from any prone position it is wise to orientate yourself towards the target as soon as possible. I have seen people laying flat on their back with their head towards the target and shooting with the gun upside down. I call this the regen position as this is where you will inevitably end up if you try it at your local skirmish site! This position will cause no end of problems for you. First off the position is very unstable from the gun control point of view, second it is much harder to acquire the sights and sight alignment, and third it is very uncomfortable. Leave this position in Hollywood guys - it may look cool but it is very impractical and will cost you your life in the end. Shooting from any of the prone positions has its benefits but unless I was taking long shots (as long as a handgun would allow) or I was well behind cover that I could shoot from safely, then I think I would leave the prone position to the rifle shooters. Shooting from the prone can be quite challenging and it is worth practicing and, as with all practice sessions, run them dry first and take it slow. Until next time stay safe and happy shooting.

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JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED

NIGE IS VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT HE PUTS HIS FEET INTO, SO HOW DID THIS OFFERING FROM DR. MARTENS STACK UP? BOOTS! NO, NOT THE WELL-KNOWN High Street chemist-cum-perfumery, the kind you put on your feet! They are probably one of the most important bits of your kit and yet are also one of the most overlooked. Let’s face it, your gat is far more important but if you’re hobbled because you’ve got a bloody great blister forming on your heel, it doesn’t matter how good your gun is if you can’t make it to the fight! Believe me I know what it is like to have blistered feet, having once walked for 10 days across a desert with my feet feeling like they were on fire every step of the way! OK, so we don’t all have to tramp through a desert to appreciate having the right kit on our feet but it does serve to illustrate how important it is that we make boots part of our kit-prep routine. Over the years I have been playing in force-on-force scenarios, I have had the chance to try a number of different manufacturer’s footwear but to be honest I had never considered Dr. Martens. I don’t know why, maybe it was because I never got over seeing Paul King wearing spray-painted “DMs” on T-O-T-P, or possibly because of their “industrial” heritage? Whatever the reason, when Aran Lackey from Patrol Store phoned and asked if I’d like to try a pair of some new boots they had coming in, I was intrigued. Before I go any further, I want to get one thing straight…. I am pretty relaxed about most things but, following my experience in the desert, I will not compromise on what I put on my feet - I don’t want to go through that again! So I make sure that the boots I wear are fit for (my) purpose - I put “my” in brackets as “my” purpose might be completely different to “your” purpose.

SO WHAT DO I LOOK FOR IN A BOOT? First off they have to be a proper ﬁt and, as I have weak ankles from the number of times I’ve gone “aot” when running through woodland or, on one occasion, down a scree slope, good ankle support is a must. 64

May 2014

kit review DM SHACK BOOTS

They must also be waterproof and offer good impact protection in the sole. When I’m covering an event or doing a site report I tend to wear my trusty Berghaus boots (which have done more miles than I’ve had hot dinners) however, being blue they are not really suitable for in-game wear. A few days after Aran’s call a pair of Dr. Martens “Shack” boots duly arrived and I was immediately impressed by two things: How good they looked and how little they weighed! My existing combat boots are quite heavy beasts and I was struck by how light the DMs felt in comparison, probably due to Dr. Martens trademark “Air Wear” air-cushioned sole. Eager to try them on for the first time, I got my socks sorted (almost as important as having the right boots) and started the “breaking in” process by wearing them around the office for a few hours. Now I was impressed by a third thing: Just how damn good they felt to wear! Based on this I decided to wear them for the three days on my feet at the British Airsoft Show - and I wasn’t disappointed; no redness, no rubbing, no problems (and no “stinky-feet syndrome” when I took them off either!). Sure, my feet were “tired” but whose wouldn’t be? Next test was a short 10-miler up, in and around the Malvern Hills. We hadn’t had any rain for a few days but the ground was still very wet, so it would give me the chance to check both the boot’s waterproof and grip capabilities. Tell you what, it didn’t seem to matter whether I was on grass, rock or loose stuff, these boots have got masses of grip and I didn’t once feel like my feet were going to fly out from under me. The air-cushioning worked wonderfully and irrespective of how sharp or angled the rock, I did not feel any penetration through, or deformation of the sole and the above-ankle lacing prevented any potential out-of-bounds turning or

twisting of the joint. I even managed to ﬁnd a small stream to wade in and can report that these boots are most deﬁnitely waterproof! Turning off the beaten track, I took a couple of hours to navigate my way through a fairly dense (and very wet) patch of forest. I wanted to see how they would perform in a simulation of what they might face in-game and so spent some time moving purposefully between cover, creeping through undergrowth (although not much of that about at the moment) and even performing a “rapid withdrawal” down a steep slope.

THE TECHNICAL BIT Dr. Martens Shack boots are manufactured to strict guidelines and comply with the EC Directive for Personal Protective Equipment and meet European standard EN ISO 20347:2012 OB SRC E DR. MARTENS SHACK BOOTS WR HRO FO. COLOUR: BLACK The upper is made from MATERIAL: SHINY waterproof industrial leather, with a water-resistant Cordura WATERPROOF+WR CORDURA padded collar and tongue and SIZES: 3 - 13 closed via industrial strength SRP: £110.00 cord laces through 10, heavy SUPPLIED BY: PATROL STORE duty metal eyelets. WWW.PATROLSTORE.COM The tongue is stitched in TEL: 01737 648 438 up to eyelet eight, to prevent water ingress to a depth of

INFORMATION

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approximately 14.5cm (measured and tested by me). Inside, the boots are lined with a Sympatex, 100% waterproof membrane and feature a removable PU-cushioned footbed that has been Agion-treated. According to Agion’s website, Agion was “developed to provide intense defence against odour and is the ﬁrst and only textile treatment that handles microbial based odours and ambient, absorbed odours” - I guess that means it stops bad smells! Outside, the sole is made up of a cemented rubber outsole and PU midsole, with an SRC slip rating and heat resistance up to 300oC. In case you are wondering what an “SRC slip rating” is, the HSE state it means the boots have been tested for slippage on both “ceramic tile wetted with dilute soap solution” and “smooth steel with glycerol”. Whilst we are not likely to come across either of these in-game, it does explain why they grip so well!

SUMMARY Unfortunately I was not able to get to the event I had planned to attend to try these boots in-game for real, but despite that, I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending that you try a pair. Just remember to take along the socks you would normally wear with your existing boots, for me that’s Trespass Coolmax liners combined with Brigedale Trekkers. At about £110, I have worn boots that cost far more than these and are simply no match in terms of both support and grip. Of course, I haven’t had these boots for anywhere near as long as some of my others and only time will tell if they live up to their initial promise but, based on what I have seen and my experience so far, Dr. Martens Shack boots will feature highly on my kit list from now on.

May 2014

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK

IN THE FIRST OF THIS OCCASIONAL SERIES, AN AIRSOFT ACTION READER TELLS WHAT HE DOES WHEN NOT PLAYING AIRSOFT. I WAS SITTING IN MY USUAL PLACE, working on the next issue of the Airsoft Action, when I had a call from a gentleman who asked if I’d be interested in running a story about his day job. Intrigued, I asked what he did; “Naval Maritime Protection” was the answer and that lead to a long and interesting conversation about how the Navy protects our (and other country’s) interests at sea. In common with the majority of airsofters I have never served in the armed forces although coming from a long line of ex-service personnel (and having spent the ﬁrst 11 years of my life as an “RAF brat”), I have a fascination with most things military. Ships have never been my thing but, even in these days of high-tech, airborne, remote-controlled warfare, we still rely on the good old man on the scene to get the job done. I had recently watched the excellent Tom Hank’s ﬁlm, Captain Phillips and so when the words “maritime protection” and “pirates” were mentioned, my desire to learn more was roused. The gentleman in question has asked that his name be kept private and so I turn the rest of this article over to Callsign: Badger… Contrary to popular belief, piracy didn’t die out with the likes of Captain Jack Sparrow and Black Beard. Modern piracy is considered a huge threat to international trade and shipping in modern years too. In 2005, many international organisations, including the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) expressed concern over the rise in acts of piracy. As part of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), our brief is simple. We are here to deter, disrupt and suppress the act of piracy. It’s the summer of 2009; the weather is clear, the sea is perfectly calm and the sun set hours ago. In relatively open waters off the eastern coast of Somalia, the only natural light source is the crescent moon, providing a silvery glow over all of our equipment. We have been here for months and the thought of boarding a suspect vessel is a welcome break from the norm.

MAY 2014

FEATURE READER’S STORY: MARITIME PROTECTION

The dangers are obvious. I am about to board a vessel I am not welcome on, crewed by men suspected of piracy and search the vessel for evidence of such a crime against the wishes of the crew. But along with the dangers of this job comes a huge, unforgettable adrenaline rush. After our briefing we check our equipment and gear up. I am wearing body armour, comms, a helmet, spare ammo and of course my weaponry. I am armed with my H&K SA80 A2 Assault Rifle and my Browning Hi Power Pistol. Checking my gear, especially my weaponry, suddenly focuses me on the up and coming tasks. Geared up, we enter a small Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RIB) and await authorisation. Tensions are high. Everyone knows their roles and remembers their training as we wait for minutes that feel like hours until our clearance is giving. The RIB is lowered into the water and we are away, making a beeline for the suspect vessel. As we jump across the waves, our target grows in size and so does the knot in my stomach. I am not scared, I feel excited. I have trained and looked forward to this moment for months and finally the time is here. This is my first time taking part in a boarding party but the rest of the team are veterans and I know I need to hold my own to ensure future deployments.

We pull alongside the vessel and clime a small rope ladder to the upper deck. We spread out and assess the situation. A previous team has all the crew secured and there is an eerie “Ghost Ship” feel. We separate and start to search the ship. Searching a foreign ship is a strange mix of adrenaline and relief. Adrenaline when you burst through a door and relief when the compartment is cleared. You have to treat every door as hostile. Behind every door could be someone who is armed and surprised to see you. Not a good mix. With millions of pounds worth of drugs seized in previous boardings, the stakes are high and they will do almost anything to defend their “investments”. The vessel was small and the search didn’t take long. No evidence of piracy was found and the crew was returned to their vessel. I had strong suspicions that the crew simply dumped anything of interest over the side and into the water (this is very common and very frustrating.) Returning to our ship, we are debriefed. Although this boarding produced no results, many others did.

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“THE RIB IS LOWERED INTO THE WATER AND WE ARE AWAY, MAKING A BEELINE FOR THE SUSPECT VESSEL. AS WE JUMP ACROSS THE WAVES, OUR TARGET GROWS IN SIZE AND SO DOES THE KNOT IN MY STOMACH.”

Piracy is a difﬁcult thing to combat. There are huge amounts of political red tape when operating in a foreign country and even if you get the go ahead, the ability to simply dump your cargo into the water makes capturing pirates even harder. But everyday our forces try. The Royal Navy and Royal Marines do a fantastic job patrolling the waters and keeping many people safe from piracy.

PERSONAL HISTORY I joined HMS Raleigh in July of 2006 as a civilian and eight hard weeks later I had made the transformation from civvy to sailor. Straight from HMS Raleigh I was shipped to HMS Daedalus. HMS Daedalus is the Royal Naval School of Aeronautical Engineering and this is where I learnt my trade. Six months later I joined a “Live Squadron” to complete my training and within a year I became a qualified AET. I served on 824 NAS before being transferred to MASF (Maritime Aviation Support Force). Whilst serving on MASF I requested as many training courses as possible; my favourite being the “Boarding Party” course, which is run from HMS Raleigh. I became qualified and also gained my Navel Marksman qualification. Returning to MASF I was deployed on a number of short deployments before being deployed to the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), anti-piracy division. After leaving the RN in 2011 I took some time off to be with my family. Now I have returned to work, working in Devonport Dockyard. Surrounded by the Navy, even as a civvy, I enjoy my job and life outside of RN - at least I now get to play more often!

MAY 2014

READERS STORY A CAUTIONARY TALE | MAN DOWN!

READ AND TAKE NOTE

SHADOW STALKER TEAM MEMBER, ALEX BOOTH, WRITES ABOUT AN EVENT THAT MIGHT HAVE CHANGED HIS LIFE FOR EVER - AND ONE THAT WE SHOULD ALL TAKE NOTE OF.

Skirmish Mansfield is a well-regarded site within the team, we enjoy its varying game zones, its polite and friendly marshals and its great safe zone that means, even in the rain the site can still be enjoyable. Many of us including myself have played at the site numerous times, in fact it was this site where I started playing airsoft just under a year ago, this time was different, this time my whole future of playing airsoft would hang in the balance. On the right hand side of the village is a small wooden two floor building, it is one of the key buildings on the field and taking it is one of two main priorities for clearing the village quickly. The back of the structure has the only two doorways. I advanced towards the building, a quick scan of the first door seemed clear, I switched to cover the second door, while still moving forward. While I was still about 10 feet from the first door, two players from the other team came out of the second door. The first ran and took a burst from my Masada in his back. The second player levelled his M4 and put a burst into me, this engagement was probably about 15-20 feet in length. The burst hit me in the head, rounds bounced off my lower mesh mask and my eye protection. In a one in a million shot, a round bounced off the edging of my mask and deflected upward with enough force to get under my ballistic glasses. The round struck me in the lower part of my eye and still had enough energy to continue onward and bruise the area under my eyebrow. Not understanding what had happened I raised my hand to

my eye, thinking I had just been caught off guard by the number of rounds that hit my eye protection. I called my hits and began walking back toward re-spawn and while walking lowered my hand and opened my eye, nothing changed. I was blind in my right eye! I yelled for a marshal but as the seriousness sank in I yelled as loud as I could for a cease fire. Having walked about 30 feet from the point of impact the shock hit me and I went down, I dropped to my knees and as team mates and marshals came running over. I lifted my Masada’s sling off my body and sat in fear and panic as I began to understand that my right eye was simply not working any more. It’s impossible to explain the fear at this point; your mind blocks out logic and reason and focuses only on the worst. I had lost my sight! My mind raced as to how exactly I was going to live with this. Not once did I consider it could be fixed - only that my life had been changed for the worst and that something as valuable as my sight was in one eye gone forever. The marshals got me out of the game zone and I was taken by ambulance to Queens medical centre where there is a specialist eye casualty unit. The impact caused massive bleeding within my eye, along with damage to the retina at the rear of my eye. It was the blood level in my eye that had impaired my vision, although at the time of writing the blood is draining and the swelling is going down. The eye did however take a serious impact and I currently can’t do any physical activity due to the risk of a retinal detachment. I will also need to have the pressure of my eye tested annually for the foreseeable future as this can increase even years after an injury. While I do not wish to preach, I understand that all players go to their sites and listen to safety briefings where full face protection is recommended and that players who choose to wear other protection do so at their own risk. It is a risk I took; it is a risk that many other

players take and doubtless will continue to take. I just want to say to anyone in the sport or considering getting involved, it is now my personal recommendation that players should wear fully sealed eye protection at all times. The event that took place on the 2nd March was the single most terrifying thing that has ever happened to me and I would not wish it on anyone. Never under estimate the importance of good eye protection. I would just like to say a big thank you to all the members of my team who helped me on the day, along with the fantastic staff at Skirmish Airsoft, the Paramedics who attended and all the staff at the Queens Medical centre. I would also like to say thank you to all of you who played alongside me on the day who have wished me well and I hope to see you at another game day soon. Alex Booth - Shadow Stalkers

INFORMATION NIGE HERE; I HAVE JUST SPOKEN WITH SHADOW STALKER’S CAPTAIN, JASON PRICE AND AM DELIGHTED TO REPORT THAT ALEX’S EYE HAS HEALED WELL. THE MUSCLE DAMAGE HAS REPAIRED ITSELF AND ALEX HAS JUST BEEN SIGNED-OFF AS FIT TO PLAY AGAIN, ALTHOUGH HE MUST CONTINUE TO PUT DROPS IN HIS EYE FOR NOW. THIS IS GREAT NEWS BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH WORSE AND I CAN ONLY ECHO ALEX’S COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS - NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD EYEPRO! TO SEE WHAT OTHER PLAYERS THINK, READ THIS ISSUE’S DEBATE ON PAGE 28.

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SNIPER ON THE EASTERN FRONT DAN MILLS TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO ONE OF THE MOST DEADLY GERMAN SNIPERS OF WORLD WAR II, JOSEF “SEPP” ALLERBERGER

DAN MILLS A former army warrant ofﬁcer, Dan served in the forces for 24 years, seeing service on operations in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq

MAY 2014

BORN ON CHRISTMAS EVE 1924, the son of a carpenter Josef Allerberger grew up to be the second most deadly German Sniper of the Second World War. He was born in Austria and grew up having a strict, authoritarian upbringing; he became an apprentice carpenter following in his father’s footsteps. Military service was the norm for many young, proud Austrians and Sepp would follow many into the ranks of the German war machine on the coming of age. He joined up at the end of 1942, passed his medicals and then aged just eighteen completed six months infantry training at Mittwald and was posted to the 144th Gebirgsjager Regiment at Kufstein, which was an Austrian recruited specialist mountain regiment. During his training for the Gebirgsjager, Sepp was made a machine gunner and it was with this trade that he would first join his unit, 8th Company of the Second Battalion. With numerous other freshly passed out new recruits he made his way to his first deployment during the summer days of June 1943, on the Eastern Front. At this time of the war the tables were starting to turn against Germany, the Eastern Front had become bogged down, many battles became static defensive battles, leading to a proliferation of sniping activity, something Sepp soon became aware of. His introduction came by chance. On arrival at the front he was thrown into the thick of the fighting, seeing his first real day of action fighting as a heavy machine gunner at Woroschilowsk in the Southern sector of the Eastern Front. The vast Soviet army was attacking in overwhelming numbers, the beleaguered German defenders were being driven back slowly westwards and he was wounded in the hand by shrapnel and sent back down the medical chain to recover from his wounds. It was whilst carrying out light duties during his convalescence, his hand

needing some time to heal, that because of his trade as a carpenter he was tasked to clean and fix a stockpile of captured Soviet weapons. Here he came across a Mosin Nagant 91/30 sniper rifle fitted with 3.5x magnification PU scope and because of its differences he became curious to try it. Intrigued, he sought permission from the armourer to test the rifle and immediately showed remarkable prowess. Sepp, as he became known, practised continuously and as word spread, he was tested and then sent out to shoot down soviet targets. When word reached his company commander he was reassigned from his gunner duties and set to work as a Sniper for the company. He tallied up kills pretty quickly and once he had scored into the mid-twenties (twenty seven) it was decided he would be sent for proper training to a sniper school at Seetaleralpe, Austria. It was here at Seetaleralpe that Sepp was issued with a Karabiner 98k, fitted with a x6 scope. Though during an interview after the war he stated that he had still used the Mosin Nagant 91/30 over a period of two years, he said the K98 was the best. Near the war’s end he used a Gewehr 43 with x4 scope, although Sepp said this was too heavy. For backup he carried an MP40 sub machine gun so that he could down put a rapid rate of fire should he need to extricate himself from trouble quickly.

FEATURE SNIPERS OF WW2 | JOSEF ALLERBERGER

Sepp soaked up his sniper training and became well known for applying the Wehrmacht methods taught at school when out in the field operating. In particular he was known for using the ‘umbrella’ technique to create a screen which, from behind, he would shoot or move into position by painstakingly moving it forward then closing up behind the umbrella until he reached his intended position. This is a simple technique still used today, the material being removed and replaced with the “natural camouflage” of the area the sniper is working in and the cam would be changed on encountering a difference in the landscape, or when signs of age begin to show in the materials used. Officers were highly prized targets for any sniper and Allerberger was presented with one early on in his tally. Whilst manning his defensive position on the line, he observed a Soviet patrol carelessly moving near a small group of trees. After observing them for some time he identified a rather smart looking officer, one who clearly had not spent much time in the field for his appearance was too clean. As the small patrol left the relative safety and cover of the trees it was an opportunity too good to miss. At a mere distance of 150 metres he took the shot and the officer crumpled to the ground - Sepp noticing his nice clean leather boots as he did so. During most engagements (and on his own admission), he very rarely fired more than one shot in order to keep his location concealed, however he noticed after initially taking cover several of the enemy patrol foolishly presented themselves to him when trying to recover the body of their fallen officer. He quickly despatched two more of them before slipping quietly away. Sepp was in no doubt of the effect the shooting of officers or those in command had on the men left behind and many times as he could throughout the war, he eliminated the soldier he observed as being in command. In one comment brazenly noting that he “shot the commanders of the enemy attacking forces eight times today!” - not a bad feat and something that would have had a devastating effect on the enemy morale. During the final days of the war Sepp was awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross by Field Marshal Scorner, although it is not officially listed. This may be because by this time in the war the records system had broken down, this was not uncommon at this late stage of the war. Sepp himself stated he had sent the paperwork in the post to his parents but it never arrived.

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“As the small patrol left the relative safety and cover of the trees it was an opportunity too good to miss. At a mere distance of 150 metres he took the shot and the ofﬁcer crumpled to the ground”

Awarded or not it is certain he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd & 1st Class, Infantry Assault Badge, Silver Wound Badge, and the Snipers Badge in Gold. Josef Allerberger was credited with a ﬁnal tally of 257 kills, making him the second highest kill scoring German sniper on record, though, like many other wartime snipers, many kills could not be conﬁrmed, the total is thought to be much higher. At war’s end Josef Sepp Allerberger went back to his old family trade, carpentry. A book about his war memoirs was published in the UK in 2005, originally under the pseudonym Franz Karner because of any negative publicity. For several years he was called on to teach at the sniper schools, surviving many years after the war he eventually died on the 2nd March 2010.

INFORMATION “SNIPER ON THE EASTERN FRONT: THE MEMOIRS OF SEPP ALLERBERGER”, PUBLISHED BY PAN & SWORD BOOKS, IS AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON IN BOTH HARD AND PAPERBACK EDITIONS, OR FROM PEN & SWORD BOOKS’ WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW. PEN-AND-SWORD.CO.UK/SNIPERON-THE-EASTERN-FRONT/P/3484/

MAY 2014

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MONS – THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE GREAT WAR DAN MILLS CONTINUES HIS JOURNEY THROUGH THE KEYSTONE EVENTS OF WW1 AND LOOKS AT THE FIRST REAL FIGHTING OF THE WAR

DAN MILLS A former army warrant ofﬁcer, Dan served in the forces for 24 years, seeing service on operations in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq

MAY 2014

EIGHTY THOUSAND MEN of The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) with their horses, ammunition and equipment landed in France between the 9th and 22nd August 1914 and, on arrival quickly travelled up through the countryside towards Belgium to meet up with the French army. There had been much deliberation and disagreement both at home in London and in Paris about where the best place to deploy the regular British troops would be. Field Marshall Lord Roberts wanted them to deploy via a landing at Antwerp - after all Britain had gone to war because the Germans had invaded Belgium. She had sworn to protect “Brave Little Belgium” and from there they could deploy and attack the German right flank. Field Marshall Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War, wanted them to deploy to Amiens north of Paris and the commander of the BEF, Field Marshall Sir John French wanted to link up with the rapidly deploying French Army. Sir John French got his way. He had wanted to keep to an agreement he had made with the French High Command several years before when war planning, that the small but professional British Army would link up with the French and fight side by side, so this was what they did. The appearance of the British Expeditionary Force was one of wars gone by; swords, horses, lances and bugles, the confidence of youth and faith in their professional soldiering ability. The Germans were” nothing”, they said, “they will be destroyed by Christmas” and we will all be back home in time for tea

and medals! Alas, many of these confident young men would never see home again and the spectacle of that old “show” army would soon be shattered by machine guns and artillery pieces. No plan survives contact with the enemy and from the outset it all went horribly wrong. As they marched into the fields and streets in and around Mons (via a stop off to see the Guardroom Monkey of Mons for luck) and taking in too much food and wine, they took up positions off to the left flank of General Charles Lanrezac’s Fifth French Army but bad news soon arrived. The French General Joffre had ordered the Fifth to be deployed forward in an area formed by the rivers Meuse and Sambre, without full understanding of how big the opposing German forces actually were. Three German armies vastly outnumbering the French were approaching fast from the north and the east, to attack from two sides. When General Lanrezac realised his position, to avoid being destroyed in a pincer movement his only option was to withdraw.

FEATURE WORLD WAR 1: MONS

The bulk of the BEF had moved up into a position around Mons arriving on the 22nd, expecting to join the allied offensive fighting on the left flank, they had set positions along a twenty-five mile wide front between Le Cateau and Maubeuge. Shortly after arrival they heard that the French had already been attacked and worse news followed the next day - the French were retreating! This left the British in an awkward position; dangerously exposed they doggedly set about cutting down the advancing Germans with their accurate volleys of rifle fire. It was here that the Germans would first experience just how professional the regular British army was and they were punished at cost. The situation however was no good and the BEF, with the German Armies pouring down on them from within Belgium and without any support were obliged to withdraw. This they executed overnight in a well controlled movement with very little time to spare. One Battalion of the Cheshire’s never received the order to withdraw and fought it out until overwhelmed by the advancing hordes. Two other Battalions were given the grim task of blocking the enemy for as long as they could, to give the majority of the BEF time to get away, which they did in true British fashion, fighting their way backwards until able to break clean. Luckily, at this point the Russians chose to intervene on the Eastern Front at the request of the French, this surprised all sides as they had not yet fully mobilized their forces. Still, they could not have advanced at a better time for the withdrawing French and British. Amongst the first British units to engage the Hun were those units now positioned along the bank of the Mons - Conde Canal. German Cavalry scouts followed up by infantry and artillery arrived and spread out opposing the Brits and put in a flanking attack on the 23rd; they were met with treacherous fire. All along the front line, over the length of the positions on the canal banks, the soldiers opened fire with their Lee Enfield rifles and it was devastating! Rapid fire was sent into the grey masses of German infantry, cutting them down in their hundreds; they were slaughtered. For the British riflemen hunkered down behind the cover of the canal bank walls it was a field day. All too soon though the German masses made all the difference and faced by

“RAPID FIRE WAS SENT INTO THE GREY MASSES OF GERMAN INFANTRY, CUTTING THEM DOWN IN THEIR HUNDREDS; THEY WERE SLAUGHTERED. FOR THE BRITISH RIFLEMEN HUNKERED DOWN BEHIND THE COVER OF THE CANAL BANK WALLS IT WAS A FIELD DAY.”

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overwhelming numbers, no matter how many they cut down, the British Battalions were forced to fight for their lives then flee, chased by thousands and thousands of grey men. The German armies poured into the flanks of the BEF, they had no cover on the right because the French had already gone and could not provide blocking assistance. On the left there was no one, nothing but open countryside. All the British had was their devastating rifle fire to bite back at the advances, giving them enough time to withdraw a little before turning to fire again. By a system of pepper-potting and good accurate volley fire they managed to break away in an orderly fashion - there was even the opportunity for the Cavalry to get a charge in, though it was met with devastating consequences by German artillery! It was at this stage, of massed enemy overrunning them position by position that the first two Victoria Crosses of World War One were earned. At the vital crossing points over the canal, the bridges at Nimy and Ghlin, the Germans advanced, rushing the hard-pressed Royal Fusilier lads in their battle positions. Crucial to the defence of the bridge were the Lewis machine gun positions. Each and every gunner manning the Lewis at Nimy was shot and killed; eventually it fell to the platoon commander Lt Maurice Dease to get behind the trigger. The gun had been causing many casualties and the Germans were keen to get it destroyed in order to continue the advance and cross the canal. Dease was shot many times but continued to stay at his post until evacuated. At Ghlin word went round that a volunteer was needed, one who knew how to handle the gun. Private Sid Godley then stepped up to the plate, shouting out he knew the drills from an earlier course. “Get up there!” Godley was told. The man from Willesden, London didn’t take telling twice and, knowing it would likely end in his death, he ran up onto the bridge to man the gun. It must have 78

MAY 2014

seemed all of Germany was shooting at him. Godley held his position allowing the remainder to withdraw until, after being hit for the second time and sustaining a head injury he was captured whilst trying to crawl away - after he had dismantled the working parts and cast them into the river! For their brave, exemplary conduct under a withering enemy ﬁre both Lt Dease and Private Godley were awarded the Victoria Cross (unfortunately Dease died of his wounds). The remainder of the BEF now found themselves marching all the way back to France. Tired feet that had got the train then marched to Mons only days before now found themselves marching back again, over the border back into France. For those in new boots, mainly reserve soldiers recently called up and with no time to break them in, this was excruciating. But march away and live to ﬁght another day they did.

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THE ART OF CAMOUFLAGE – GERMAN FLECKTARN GARETH “GADGE” HARVEY KICKS OF A NEW SERIES ABOUT POPULAR (AND NOT SO POPULAR) CAMOS WITH A LOOK AT A COMMON SIGHT ON MANY UK AIRSOFT FIELDS.

GARETH ‘GADGE’ HARVEY

Gadge is our resident history buff and FilmSim fanatic. He has a passion for WWII, Nam-soft and Cold War gaming – but still ﬁnds time to ﬁt in an open-day skirmish

MAY 2014

EACH MONTH THE ART OF CAMOUFLAGE will look at a popular camo pattern on the skirmish field, its origins, military users and further developments. From the initial design to the end user we’ll examine the kit that keeps you unseen in the field. For the first article in this occasional series we’ll look at the German army’s Flecktarn camo. Flecktarn is a common sight on the UK skirmish field with immense popularity driven by a combination of its availability, effectiveness and the diversity of kit available in the pattern To the casual observer Flecktarn is reminiscent of the blotchy, leafy camouflage patterns of the WWII-era German armed forces… so much so that it was a considerable time between the end of the war and this pattern being introduced. After WWII many of Germany’s new allies in NATO, like France and Holland, were happy to serve alongside the West German Army (or Bundeswehr) and defend the west, but less comfortable about seeing an aggressive and camouflaged looking German state. While a few short-lived or specialist patterns based on the WWII ‘splinter’ patterns were used by the Federal German Republic, the vast majority of German service personnel served their time in the Cold War years in

FEATURE THE ART OF CAMOUFLAGE | FLECKTARN

a functional, but uninspiring grey/green field uniform, with only the border guards receiving stocks of camo. By the mid-1970s time had healed the wounds of WWII and the image of camouflaged stormtroopers invading their homes had faded from European memories; the West German army looked again towards a new universal camouflage pattern to equip its troops. In 1976 five new camouflage patterns were trialled in a joint effort between the Germans and the French and after extensive testing one of these, known as “Flectar b” was selected as the most effective. Flectar b was one of three patterns composed of blotches and dots and was also known as groß (large), as the drawings were the largest of the three schemes. The final pattern consisting of clumps and dots of black, olive grey, earth brown and light & dark green is the pattern we now know as Flecktarn and see on airsoft fields across Europe. Despite trials concluding in 1976 it was some 12 years before suits were issued in any quantity for full field trials in 1988 and the after final trials in 1989, the “Kampfanzug 90” (Battle Suit 90) was issued just before the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. No clear reason stands out for the substantial delay in issue but one possible reason could have been either a desire by the Bundeswehr to sport olive drab uniforms like most of their NATO allies (all except the US and the UK), or a desire by their neighbours not to see Germans in a camouflage pattern so reminiscent of the Waffen SS. It’s certainly very easy to see similarities between Flecktarn and the WWII oakleaf and pea pattern uniforms worn during the ‘40s. While the colours and shapes vary slightly the overall impression is strikingly similar. As students will know, the camouflage patterns of the SS and Whermacht were highly effective and prompted many other nations to accelerate their research into camouflage garments. Understandably in the post war years, patterns of this style fell out of popularity for reasons of political sensitivity, rather than because of any lack of effectiveness. A notable exception was Austria, who used a similar “blotch” pattern for some time in the 1950s until just before 1980, called flekkerteppich and the Danish who used an effective blotch and dot pattern called pletsoring (or dot pattern) from the mid-1980s.

“UNDERSTANDABLY IN THE POST WAR YEARS, PATTERNS OF THIS STYLE FELL OUT OF POPULARITY FOR REASONS OF POLITICAL SENSITIVITY, RATHER THAN BECAUSE OF ANY LACK OF EFFECTIVENESS.”

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FEATURE THE ART OF CAMOUFLAGE | FLECKTARN

German Flecktarn

Dot 44 Pattern

Flecktarn was adopted by the uniﬁed German army and continues to equip German soldiers today (including a desert variant) as they undertake international duties world-wide. As with many NATO armies the Germans allow many of their soldiers to use privately purchased kit and this has led to a wide variety of clothes, webbing, tactical gear and armour being available in ﬂecktarn patterns. This diversity makes the camo pattern an ideal choice for airsofters, as no matter what your choice of AEG or weapon it is almost certain there are mag pouches or even a dedicated assault vest for your weapon of choice in Flecktarn. An added bonus for skirmishers is the price and availability of surplus (and new) German kit. Nearly every surplus shop in the UK carries items of Flecktarn clothing and often at knock down prices. Designed, like DPM, for use in temperate forests of North West Europe, Flecktarn blends in perfectly with UK woodland and given its high content of red/brown drawings it serves equally well in brick based urban areas. Since its adoption by Germany in the late 80s countless other countries including China and Russia have adopted Flecktarn-based camo patterns, further expanding the range of kit an airsofter can incorporate into a Flecktarn-based loadout, while still keeping a strong sense of style. With Flecktarn giving DPM a run for its money in popularity on many UK sites, it’s safe to say that Flecktarn is here to stay on the airsoft scene!

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AIRSOFT

BOOKSHOP CADET’S POCKET BOOK

Cadet’s Pocket Book

SOLDIERS POCKET BOOK

ACTION

SOLDIERS POCKET BOOK

with plastic book cover

344 pages of combat skills for Airsoft enthusiasts, TA & Regulars. Easy to read packed full of essential tips & skills you need to know. RRP £10.00 with this voucher code AASB13 at www.milpkbk.co.uk Webshop Checkout £7.00

with plastic book cover

Are you a Cadet/Adult instructor? You should have one of these pocket books in your kit!!! RRP £8.00 with this voucher code AACB13 at www.milpkbk.co.uk - at Webshop Checkout £6.00

AIR CADET POCKET BOOK

Air Cadet

Pocket Book

with plastic book cover

Are you a Air Cadet/Adult instructor? You should have one of these pocket books in your pocket!!! RRP £8.00 with this voucher code AAAC13 at www.milpkbk.co.uk - at Webshop Checkout £6.00 84

may 2014

with plastic book cover

Some of the most intense reading material you’ll every read on this subject, written by a Master Sniper Instructor. A must read for all the right reasons. RRP £10.00 with this voucher code AASN13 at www.milpkbk.co.uk Webshop Checkout £7.00

BOOK REVIEW RIFLEMAN: A FRONT LINE LIFE

RIFLEMAN: A FRONT LINE LIFE BY VICTOR GREGG WITH RICK STROUD KRIS ROBERTS IS INSPIRED BY THE STORY OF A MAN WHO TOOK PART IN SOME OF WW2’S MOST DEFINING MOMENTS “There were constant explosions as

RIFLEMAN TELLS THE LIFE STORY of Victor Gregg, a working class boy born to a London family who joined the Army in 1937 at the age of eighteen and, having served in the Middle East and India, was sent to North Africa at the start of the Second World War. There he faced the Axis powers in critical battles across the desert, participating in such actions as the Battle of Sidi Rezegh and the Battle of El Alamein. During this time Gregg worked to collect intelligence for the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) and found himself driving through the unending sand to collect wounded personnel, all the while dodging enemy patrols and air attacks. Gregg then volunteered to join a newly formed Parachute Brigade and fought in Italy before jumping into Arnhem as part of Operation Market Garden. In the street ﬁghting that followed the violence was up close and personal and bayonet charges were frequent. With minimal food, water and ammunition, the Paras were forced to salvage what they could

from the dead that lay strewn around them. Defeat was inevitable. Gregg headed east but was captured after two days on the run. Now a Prisoner of War, he eventually found himself sent to a labour camp outside the city of Dresden. While working at a soap factory, he sabotaged the facility by putting cement powder into the mix, an act which burnt the factory down. Facing the death penalty, he was saved from execution by the Allied firebombing of the city. Gregg bore firsthand witness to the firestorm that destroyed the city, and spent the following days working with the rescue parties to clear the ruins. Seeing a chance to escape, he made his way east to eventually link up with the advancing Russian forces. After the war Gregg joined the Communist Party and found work as a Chauffeur at the Moscow Narodny Bank. Here he became a small player in the great game, and was soon providing information to the British security services on the errands he undertook for the Russians. In the following years Gregg would travel extensively behind the Iron Curtain, providing a link between Wehrmacht veterans in East Germany and the Hungarians People’s Democratic Forum. In 1989, and at seventy years old, he attended a rally at the HungarianAustrian border. Here he joined others as they cut the barb wire fence that formed the border between the east and west. A few weeks later the Berlin Wall fell. Rifleman is a fascinating account of a remarkable life. Victor Gregg writes with an intelligence and bravery that grips the reader as they journey through the many stages of his life.

the fires in the burning tanks reached the ammo. Mixed with all this were the terrifying screams of the poor sods trapped inside their steel coffins. The cries of those poor devils who couldn’t be reached by the medics went on throughout the night. None of us were the same men at the end of that day.” Having witnessed some of the defining moments of the 20th Century, Gregg is fearless in his willingness to not only relive the facts, but to share his opinions and emotions in a raw yet accessible way. His recollections of his time in battle provide a vivid and action packed picture of large scale warfare, and give a visceral sense of what the conflict was like for the men on the ground. But it is his telling of the firebombing of Dresden that delivers the biggest punch, and Gregg is unwavering in his condemnation of the people that planned the attack. The loss of friends and the horrors that he had lived through show their mark as Gregg continues his story into the Post-War years, and he is quick to recognise the effect that this had on his family and marriage. All in, this is a book about a man who has faced challenges beyond comprehension, yet manages to find an optimism and courage to keep living and to seek out new adventures. An inspirational read.

INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY BLOOMSBURY PAPERBACK: ISBN-13: 978-1408822081 PRICE: £7.99 HARDBACK: ISBN-13: 978-1408813966 PRICE: £17.99

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SYMBOL KEY

IS IT WOODLAND OR URBAN? CHECK THE KEY! UKARA

UKARA MEMBER UKASGB MEMBER WOODLAND

SHOP ONSITE BATTERY CHARGING URBAN PYROS ALLOWED REPAIR SERVICE

DESERT

Email nige@airsoft-action.co.uk to add or change a site listing

ATROOP AIRSOFT

AIRBORNE 101 AIRSOFT CLUB

ALL ARMS AIRSOFT

APOCALYPSE AIRSOFT

Clocaenog Forest, LL16 4SP 07967 394976 www.atroop.co.uk

Downpatrick, Co. Down, BT30 07718 032541 robinsonm24@btinternet.com

Near Trawden, BB8 8SN 07909 683464 www.allarmsairsoft.co.uk

Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7QP 07872 348 576 www.apocalypseairsoft.com

ABER AIRSOFT – THE BUNKER

AIRSOFT ASYLUM

ALPHA 55

ARENA AIRSOFT

Allt-lywd Wood Farm, outside Llanrhystud, nr. Aberystwyth, Wales. 07511554740 www.aberairsoft.co.uk

North Lanarksire, ML7 5 www.airsoftasylum.webs.com

Halkyn wood, North Wales CH8 8DF 0845 257 6937 www.alpha55.co.uk

Grimsby, DN31 3JD 07752 404060 www.arenaairsoft.com

AIRSOFT COMMANDOS ABSOLUTE AIRSOFT Maidenhead, SL6 3SS 07871 314951 www.absolute-airsoft.co.uk

Sutton, near Ferrybridge 07723 061386 andyace@ntlworld.com

ALPHA ELITE GAMING Le Mont de Rozel, Jersey, JE3 5 01534 733697 www.aegairsoft.je

AIRSOFT KGB ACE AIRSOFT WAR GAMES Holbrook Coppice, Buidwas Bank (A4169), Buildwas, Telford, Shropshire, TF8 07786 192832 www.aceairsoft.co.uk

ACE COMBAT Kent, TN12 7DG 01303 814803 www.acecombat.co.uk

Porkellis Moor near Helston, Cornwall, TR13 0 Chef1322@hotmail.com www.kgbairsoft.com

AIRSOFT SKIRMISH Stoulton, WR7 4QW 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk

AMAZON EVENTS Hellingly, East Sussex, BN27 4HL 0844 2570433 www.amazonoutdoorevents.co.uk

AMBUSH ADVENTURES – CHOBHAM Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8SL 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk

AIRSOFT SKIRMISH CQB Studley, B80 7LY 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk

MAY 2014

Sawbridgeworth, Herts, CM23 4BJ 07732 184957 www.awaherts.com

BARNSLEY AIRSOFT Shafton, Barnsley, S72 8RE 07779 236166 www.barnsleypaintball.co.uk

BATTLETEC AIRSOFT La Couture, Guernsey, GY1 2 07781 104068 www.battletec.co.uk

BETTER BATTLES AMBUSH ADVENTURES – SOUTHAMPTON New Forest National Park, SP5 2DW 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk

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AWA HERTS

Ravenshead, Notts, NG15 9DH 07967 940043 www.better-battles.com

SITE DIRECTORY

Huge thanks to our friends at Airbana (www.airsoftmap.net) for supplying data

FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…

BLACKDAGGER AIRSOFT Grasscroft Wood, Barlow Lees Lane, Dronﬁeld, S18 7UR www.blackdagger-airsoft.co.uk

BLUESTREAK AIRSOFT

CERBERUS AIRSOFT SHEFFIELD WOODLAND Shefﬁeld, S6 6JE 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

Westcott Venture Park, Westcott, Aylesbury, HP18 0XB 01296 658600 www.bluestreak-airsoft.co.uk

CHESTERFIELD IMPERIAL AIRSOFT

BRAVO 2-2 AIRSOFT

CLOSE ACTION AIRSOFT

Leisure Lakes, Mere Brow, Southport. PR46JX 07790 715059 www.bravo22airsoft.com

Corby, NN17 3BB 07740 165787 www.close-action.co.uk

BRISTOL AIRSOFT Bristol, BS1 2HQ 07776 288826 www.bristolairsoft.com

BRIT-TAC AIRSOFT Shefﬁeld, S2 5TR 07795 631331 www.brittacairsoft.com

BUNKER 51 Charlton, SE7 8NJ 0870 7549653 www.wolfarmouries.co.uk

C3 TACTICAL Longhope, Gloucestershire, GL17 0PH 07597 938011 www.c3tactical.co.uk

Brimington, Chesterﬁeld, S43 1DQ www.cia-airsoft.co.uk

COMBAT ACTION GAMES Maryland, Norfolk, NR10 4 01328 711867 www.combatactiongames.co.uk

COMBAT SOUTH URBAN Portsmouth, PO6 3LS 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk

COMBAT SOUTH WOODLAND Fareham, PO17 5ND 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk

CONTACT! FIGHT SCHOOL Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, CM14 5 01438 368177 www.theﬁghtschool.demon.co.uk

COOL UNDER FIRE CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE COMPLEX Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4RP 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE SANDPIT Bradford, BD2 1BQ 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

CERBERUS AIRSOFT - RIVOCK EDGE Keighley, BD20 0LS 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk

Doddington, Kent, ME9 0JS 07960 532613 www.coolunderﬁre.co.uk

CORNWALL AIRSOFT ASSAULT Truro, Cornwall, TR2 07837 475012 www.cornwallairsoftassault.co.uk

CUMBRIA AIRSOFT Dumfries, DG12 cumbria.airsoft@virgin.net www.cumbria-airsoft.com

DELTA TEAM 3 Skelmersdale, Lancs WN8 8UT 07986 053076 www.deltateam3.co.uk

DOGS OF WAR

FIFE WARGAMES

Houston, Renfrewshire, PA6 7BP 07853 195290 www.dow-airsoft.co.uk

St Andrews, KY10 3XL info@ﬁfewargames.co.uk www.ﬁfewargames.com

DRAGON’S LAIR

FINMERE AIRSOFT

Brentwood, Essex, CM15 0LA 07703 530189 www.dragonslairairsoft.co.uk

Buckingham, MK18 4JT 07976 184897 www.ﬁnmereairsoft.com

DRAGON VALLEY AIRSOFT

FIREBALL SQUADRON

Caerwent Training Area, South Wales, NP26 5XL 07921 336360 www.dragonvalley.co.uk

Sutton Coldﬁeld, B75 5SA 07582 684533 www.ﬁreballsquadron.com

ELITE ACTION GAMES – GATWICK Holmbush Farm, Crawley Road, Faygate, Nr. Horsham, W. Sussex, RH12 4SE 07882 686242 www.eliteactiongames.com

ELITE ACTION GAMES – DORKING Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5AB 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com

ELITE ACTION GAMES – EPSOM Epsom, Surrey, KT18 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com

ELITE ACTION GAMES – WORTHING Worthing, BN13 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com

ELITE BATTLEZONE Bexley, Greater London, DA5 1NX 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk

EXPERIENCE AIRSOFT Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 0AN 01380 728982 www.experienceairsoft.co.uk

FIREFIGHT COMBAT SIMULATIONS Lewisham, SE13 5SU 07973 240177 www.ﬁreﬁght.co.uk

FIRST AND ONLY – ANZIO CAMP Leek, ST13 8 07862 288359 www.ﬁrstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – BUNKER WOOD Kidderminster, Worcs, DY11 5SA 07862 288359 www.ﬁrstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – KHE SANH WOODS Otley, West Yorkshire LS21 2NA 07862 288359 www.ﬁrstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – MANCHESTER WOODLAND Bolton, BL7 9TS 07862 288359 www.ﬁrstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST AND ONLY – ASYLUM Kidderminster, DY10 3PT 07862 288359 www.ﬁrstandonlyairsoft.com

FIRST & ONLY: THE HIVE Middleton, Manchester, M24 1AZ0161 727 8863

FIRST & ONLY: THE ARMOURY Wrexham, Denbighshire, LL13 9RG 07554 800040

FIRST & ONLY: THE ACADEMY Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 6QF 07779 157440

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

087

FIRST & ONLY: THE ASYLUM

GREENZONE COMBAT

Kidderminster, DY10 3PT 07779 157440

Co. Armagh, BT60 1NE 07772 919974 www.greenzonecombat.com

FIRST & ONLY: THE OUTPOST Kidderminster, DY11 5SA 07779 157440

FIRST & ONLY: SLEEPY HOLLOW Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 5LS 07880 316716

FIRST & ONLY: THE DEPOT Glasgow, G45 9SB 0161 727 8863

GROUND ZERO WOODLAND Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 2DF www.groundzerowoodland.com

Farcet, Peterborough, PE7 3DH 01733 247171 www.freeﬁrezone.co.uk

Guisborough, TS7 0PG 07525 435696 www.gunhoairsoft.co.uk

Annacloy, Downpatrick, BT30 8JJ 07730 586926 www.frvairsoft.com

Penn Bottom, Bucks, HP10 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk

GASS AIRSOFT – PIDDINGTON Piddington, Oxfordshire, OX25 1 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk

GRANGE FARM AIRSOFT Leicester, LE9 9FP www.gingerliberationfront.com

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MARCH 2014

February 2014

LAC SITE 1

NOMAD AIRSOFT

Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

Fenwick, Ayrshire, KA3 6AY 07904 998250 www.nomadairsoft.com

LAC SITE 2 Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

LAC SITE 3 Saxillby, LN1 2JW 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

GUNMAN AIRSOFT – NORWICH

LINDSEY AIRSOFT

Wolverhampton, WV10 7HU 08000 354490 www.paintballuk.com

Spanby, Lincs, NG34 0AT 07971 560249 facebook.com/HomelandTacticalAirsoft

North Lincolnshire, DN21 www.humberairsoft.co.uk 07792 680297

INVICTA AIRSOFT – RAINDEN WOODS Folkestone, Kent, CT18 7AY 01227 763335 www.invictaairsoft.co.uz

ISLAND RECON AIRSOFT COMBAT Near Shorwell, Isle of Wight, PO30 07964 751047 www.islandrecon.co.uk

Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3LQ 01845 565465 www.northernallianceairsoft.co.uk

Northﬂeet, Kent, DA11 9AA 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk

NSC AIRSOFT LAC SITE 5

Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk

NORTHERN ALLIANCE AIRSOFT

NORTHFLEET CQB

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk

HUMBER AIRSOFT GASS AIRSOFT – PENN

Edinburgh, EH14 4 nick@ncis-airsoft.co.uk www.ncis-airsoft.co.uk

GUNMAN AIRSOFT – CAMBRIDGE

HOMELAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT FRV AIRSOFT

NCIS AIRSOFT

Gorebridge, Midlothian, EH23 4LG 0131 654 2452 www.airsoftedinburgh.co.uk

GUN HO AIRSOFT

HILTON PARK AIRSOFT FREE FIRE ZONE

LAND WARRIOR AIRSOFT

Kirton Rd, North Lincs, DN16 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk

Manby, Lincolnshire, LN11 8HE 07955 487983 www.lindsey-airsoft.co.uk

MATLOCK COMBAT GAMES Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5FW 07974 507166 www.matlockcombatgames.com

MAW Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 07562 479966 maw.airsoft@hotmail.com

MIA Cornwall, EX23 9JL 01288 331748 www.airsoftsouthwest.co.uk

MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURES Wrightington, WN6 9PL 01942 514724 www.militaryoutdooradventure.co.uk

MILSIM UK Checkley, Staffordshire, ST10 4NS 07523 916607 www.milsimuk.co.uk

Hetton, Sunderland, DH5 0 07983 333521 www.nscairsoft.co.uk

NTAC Durham, DL4 2ER 01642 281220 www.ntac.co.uk

OBAN AIRSOFT – HILL ARGYLL Argyll and Bute, PA37 1 07967 710185 www.argyllsurplus.com

OP-TACTICAL UK – TEAN-OPS Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4JT 07964 990831 www.op-tac.co.uk

OVER THE TOP AIRSOFT CLUB Anglesey, LL71 www.ottairsoft.co.uk 07731 744471

PATHFINDER GROUP AIRSOFT MILITARY SIMULATION Former RAF Camp Sopley/ Merryﬁeld Park, Hants, BH23 02380 899369

PHOENIX AIRSOFT Welbeck Airsoft, Academy, Budby Road, Notts NG20 9JX 07956 587213/01623 812483 www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk

Huge thanks to our friends at Airbana (www.airsoftmap.net) for supplying data

SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…

PLATOON 1HQ

SKIRMISH EXETER

TECH BRIGADE

Rochester, Kent, ME1 1 HQ 01634 829063 www.ptt-1hq.co.uk

Exeter, Devon, EX4 5 01548 580025 www.airsoftexeter.co.uk

Newgate Street, Hertfordshire. SG13 8NH 07841 713356 www.techbrigade.org

PLAYERS OF WAR

SOUTHDOWN AIRSOFT

High Bonnybridge, FK1 3AD 07767 203979 www.playersofwar.co.uk

Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0LR 07766 770830 www.southdownairsoft.com

PREDATOR COMBAT GAMES

SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – BLOXWORTH

THE BUNKER

URBAN6AIRSOFT – ZONE 13

Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7EU 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk

Aberystwyth, www.aberairsoft.co.uk 07841 462806

Stone, Staffordshire ST15 0QN 07432 291729 www.urban6airsoft.com

SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – THE ROCK

THE DESERTERS AIRSOFT

URBAN6AIRSOFT – THE BLOCK

Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EG 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk

Redford, DD11 07751 878175 www.thedeserters.co.uk

Wood Street, Butron-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 £AB www.urban6airsoft.com

STIRLING AIRSOFT

THE EX SITE

URBAN ASSAULT

Coventry, CV3 6NX 07831 429407 www.stirlingairsoft.com

Mold, CH7 4 07840 001975 www.theexsitewales.co.uk

Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, PE26 1 01733 247171 www.urbanassault.org.uk

STORMFORCE AIRSOFT

THE WARGAMES CENTRE

VIKING AIRSOFT

Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 4LD 07515 937633 www.stormforcepaintball.co.uk

Stevenston, Ayrshire, KA20 3LN 08456 434326 www.scottishadventurecentre.co.uk

Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0UN www.vikingairsoft.co.uk

SUSSEX AIRSOFT

TROJAN AIRSOFT

Slinfold, RH12 020 8150 9284 www.sussexairsoft.co.uk

Macclesﬁeld, SK10 4SZ 07428 024874 www.trojan-airsoft.com

Ballynahinch, BT24 8NF 02897565651 / 07825169631 www.predatorcombat.com

RAVEN’S NEST Suffolk, IP8 4 01473 831563 www.ravensairsoft.co.uk

RAW WAR AIRSOFT CUMBRIA Wigton, Cumbria CA7 3SZ 01900 85645 www.airsoftcumbria.co.uk

RIFT AIRSOFT COM’S SITE 3 Chipping Warden, OX17 1LZ 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com

RIFT AIRSOFT (COTTENHAM) Cambridge, CB24 8RL 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com

SECTION 8 AIRSOFT Shotts, N Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com

TASK FORCE SKIRMISH Cowbridge, S Glamorgan, CF71 02920 593900 www.taskforcepaintball.co.uk

Fawkham, Kent, DA3 8NY 01268 796130 www.ultimatewargames.co.uk

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – LIMPSFIELD Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0RH www.ultimatewargames.co.uk

WARMINSTER AIRSOFT Warminster, BA12 7RZ www.warminsterairsoft.co.uk

XSITE AIRSOFT OUTPOST S.W.A.T. AIRSOFT Boathouse lane, South Wirral, Cheshire, CH64 3TB www.swatairsoft.eu 07703 177756

TROJAN AIRSOFT – OLYMPUS CQB Weir Mill, Viaduct Street, Chestergate, Stockport, Cheshire, SK5 7JP

SECTION 8 AIRSOFT Shotts, North Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com

ULTIMATE WARGAMES – FAWKHAM

Dunstable, LU6 2EE 01494 881430 www.xsiteairsoft.co.uk

XSITE AIRSOFT – LANE END High Wycombe, HP14 3NP 01494 881430

TA EVENTS

UCAP AIRSOFT

Hemel Hemstead, Herts, HP2 7QB 07894 059794 www.ta-events.co.uk

Portsmouth, Hants, PO17 6AR 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

TACTICAL WALES AIRSOFT

UCAP GREEN OPS

Reynoldston, Swansea SA3 1AS 01792 473336 www.tacticalwales.co.uk

Linch, West Sussex, GU30 7 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

SG1 COMBAT GAMES Co. Londonderry, BT45 8NA 07713 273102 www.sg1combatgames.co.uk

SKIRMISH AIRSOFT BILLERICAY Billericay, Essex, CM11 2TX 01277 657777 www.airsoft-billericay.co.uk

TACTICAL WARFARE AIRSOFT Warlingham, Surrey, CR6 9PL 020 8665 1299 www.tacticalwarfare.co.uk

UCAP SANDPIT Bean, Kent, DA2 8 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk

www.airsoft-action.co.uk

089

DEALER LISTINGS

ADVERTISERS INDEX Land Warrior AirsoftAirsoft Land Warrior

RedWolf Airsoft RedWolf Airsoft Airsoft Zone Airsoft Zone Airsoft Armoury Wolf Armouries JD Airsoft ActionSportGames

99 11 11 15 + 67 15 19 16

BadgerTac BadgerTac

31 24

JD Airsoft

28 + 68

Leeds Airsoft

SWAT

Military 1st

Enola Gaye

Airsoft Armoury Military 1st

Leeds Airsoft SWAT

Armex Armex

BadgerTac 2

MAY 2014

3+ 3 +27 79

ActionSportGames Enola Gaye Wold Armouries

090

37 42 44 51

58 + 59

BadgerTac 2

Eton Guns

Gunman Airsoft

EW Trading

Crawley Surplus Store Crawley Surplus Store

64 79

NoVAT NoVAT

64 79

Dragon Valley Dragon Valley

64 79

Military Outdoor Military Outdoor

64 79

Epic Militaria Flecktarn

77 82

Gunman EW Trading

77 82

Airsoft World Airsoft World

91 91

Pro Airsoft Supplies Pro Airsoft Supplies

92 92