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THE Airsoft Magazine
108 PAGES OF AIRSOFT ACTION!!
AIRSOFT ACTION
D L R O W D N A R A G EXCLUSIVEEVIE!W! S THE R AIRSOFT ACTION PLETE M1 VERY FIRST COM FROM G&G
RIFLES S&T BIZON PPS KAR 98K
EVENTSP
SKIRMISH CU GUNMAN ‘NAM
SITES THE GAOL THE MALL
L A N O I T A N R E T IN SOFT COUNCIL
TEAM PROFILE
1970S SOVIET PARATROOPER
OPERATION INTRADON
TEAM VANGUARD
BILLY BASICS: TEAMWORK WORKS l DEBATE: ROLEPLAYING l LOADED OR UNLOADED?
DEC 2014 - £4.50
A SQUADRON
9 772047 348032
DECEMBER 2014
COLD WAR WARRIOR
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AUSTRALIAN AIR
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THE Airsoft Magazine
108 PAGES OF AIRSOFT ACTION!!
GARAND WORLD !! EXCLUSIVEEWS THE REVI AIRSOFT ACTION PLETE M1 VERY FIRST COM FROM G&G
12 - WORLD EXCLUSIVE!
RIFLES S&T BIZON PPS KAR 98K
EVENTS
SKIRMISH CUP GUNMAN ‘NAM
M1 GARAND
SITES THE GAOL THE MALL
TIONAL INTERNA AIRSOFT COUNCIL
TEAM PROFILE
OPERATION INTRADON
TEAM VANGUARD
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A SQUADRON
1970S SOVIET PARATROOPER
BILLY BASICS: TEAMWORK WORKS l DEBATE: ROLEPLAYING l LOADED OR UNLOADED?
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: Spectre Airsoft Photography
DEC 2014 - £4.50
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AUSTRALIAN
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Gunman ‘Nam
UK 12 - issue subscription rate: £43 UK 6 - issue subscription rate: £24 For overseas prices visit: www.airsoft-action.co.uk
Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Upper Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 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 reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the publisher in writing. The opinion of the writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions prior to 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.
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december 2014
So there I was, sitting here quite happy with the next issue of Airsoft Action “done and dusted” and I could relax for five minutes… Shows just how wrong you can be! With a gentle “ping” MS Outlook announced the arrival of (yet) more email and having sorted through the dross that seems to plague my Inbox these days (I don’t want “enhancement” pills, I have no desire to purchase erm… “toys” and I’m not interested in buying property in Chicago!), two messages jumped out at me. The first was from my good friends over at KRISS and the second from one of my mates advising me to take a look at LANTAC’s Facebook page. KRISS, as you may already know, is the company behind KRYTAC (their training and recreational shooting brand) and they have just signed a licensing agreement with War Sport Industries to produce War Sport’s stunning rifles in both .22 and Airsoft versions. On their Facebook page I discovered that LANTAC have just licensed their products for Airsoft manufacture to MADBULL. You may not have heard of LANTAC and you would be mistaken if you think they are an American company, they are not - they’re based in Harrogate! Both of the above are yet more evidence of the emergence of our “little hobby/game/pastime” into something that can (and should) be taken far more seriously than it is - dare we even hope that one day everyone will call it a “sport”. Personally I’d love to see “Olympic Airsoft”; wouldn’t it make an awesome spectator event - imagine two teams battling it out through a custom-built environment at Wembley under the watchful eyes of 100,000 spectators… A dream maybe but who knows? The point is that as more and more “real steel” companies become involved in airsoft, the more investment it brings into the industry as a whole. Let’s face it, none of these companies would even consider moving into airsoft if they didn’t perceive it as a growing market where they can make a profit. And just before you scream “It’s all about the money!” yes it is but “profit” is not a dirty word, it’s what pays your wages every month! Remember, the bigger and stronger we are, the less likelihood there is of some crusading MP, out looking for votes, getting us shut down. See you out there. Nige.
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CONTENTS DECEMBER MARCH 2014
CONTENTS
AIRSOFT ACTION – DECEMBER 2014 6 AIRSOFT NEWS The latest developments in the world of airsoft. 8 READERS’ GALLERY Cool photos taken by Airsoft Action readers. 12 ARMOURY: G&G M1 GARAND In this World Exclusive, Scott Allan gets his hands on the very first complete M1 Garand from G&G. 16 ARMOURY: PPS KAR 98K With the surge in interest surrounding WW2 airsoft, Ratty looks back at the airsoft version of an iconic rifle of the time. 20 ARMOURY: S&T BIZON No it’s not a buffalo, it’s the latest offering from S&T!
63 SITE: THE MALL - READING Most blokes hate shopping… but what happens if the shopping centre is an awesome airsoft site? Les Lee reports from just such a venue. 68 TEAM PROFILE: TEAM VANGUARD Les Lee introduces us to a team he bumped into on his journey round the sites of southern England. 72 DEBATE: ROLEPLAY Once again debate time rolls around and in this issue Gadge asks: “Is there too much ‘roleplay’ in the hobby?”
24 KIT AND KABOODLE FireBaseAlpha takes a quick look at some of the gear that’s caught his eye over the last few months.
76 WORLD WAR ONE: GAS! GAS! GAS! The battle for Ypres was full of horrors, not least of which being the first use of gas warfare on the Western Front. Sniper One, Dan Mills, continues his look back at the events of 100 years ago.
26 SITE: MCG - THE GAOL Most people do whatever they can to stay out of Jail but this new site in Rutland gives airsofters the chance to see what it was like from the inside. Gareth Harvey reports…
80 SKILLS: RELOADING! It’s something we all have to do in-game but how many of us ever practice this simple skill? Pro-Tact Shooting’s Andy Nightingale gives us some pointers.
32 EVENT: THE SKIRMISH CUP The Skirmish Cup brings teams in from across Essex and beyond, so we asked JB from BadgerTac2 to give us the low-down on this annual event.
83 BILLY BASICS: TEAMWORK WORKS! With his own personal “team” growing, Billy turns his attention to teamwork and asks: What are its strengths?
36 EVENT REPORT: GUNMAN ‘NAM Oscar P gets on the other side of the fight in the latest instalment of Gunman Airsoft’s Vietnam FilmSim.
86 WW2 SNIPERS: OBERGEFREITER BRUNO SUTKUS Dan Mills concludes his look at the Snipers of WW2 with a Lithuanian who became one of Germany’s most successful snipers.
40 COLD WAR WARRIORS: 1970 SOVIET PARATROOPER Gareth “Gadge” Harvey turns his attention to the Soviet’s airborne warrior from the 1970s.
89 HEAD TO HEAD: SMLE V KAR 98K Military Historian, Will Fowler, continues to compare iconic weapons of the past with a look at two of the most well-known.
45 INTERNATIONAL AIRSOFT: AUSTRALIAN AIRSOFT COUNCIL While on holiday in Australia, Iggy Roberts couldn’t resist trying to find a good game of airsoft and came upon an insurmountable problem - airsoft is illegal down-under!
93 FEATURE: SURVIVAL KITS In the last issue survival expert and avid airsofter, Paul Welland, gave us some tips on how to create a survival kit. Here he looks at a selection of premade kits.
48 FEATURE: LOADED OR UNLOADED? With nights drawing in and Summer officially at an end, Jerry Noone turns his attention to the “cooler” seasons. 54 SHOW: WINGS & WHEELS 10TH ANNIVERSARY Ratty makes a welcome return with a report from the 10th Anniversary of one of the UK’s lesser-known summer shows. 59 A SQUADRON: OPERATION INTRADON With just a few days remaining until their inaugural event takes place, A Squadron’s MD, Faith Cowling, gives us some background to the event and a few tips for first-timers.
101 BOOK REVIEW: OPERATION MAYHEM Kris Roberts writes about the true story of 26 British soldiers being used as bait for 2,000 rebels high on blood-lust, voodoo and drugs. 102 SITE DIRECTORY If you’re looking for somewhere to play, you’re sure to find it here. 106 AA’S ADVERTISER INDEX Find who you are looking for in our listing of all the adverts that appear in this issue.
www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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AIRSOFT NEWS IWA 2015 IWA OutdoorClassics 2015: the world meets in Nürnberg! • Highly international gathering of the sector • Enforce Tac: special exhibition for special forces • Exhibition experience: business & hospitality From Friday to Monday, 6 – 9 March 2015, all the big names in the sectors concerned meet in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg in Germany at IWA OutdoorClassics, the world’s leading annual exhibition. On over 86,000 square metres in 9 exhibition halls everything is geared again to
established and new products from the three large exhibition segments of “Target Sports”, “Nature Activities” and “Protecting People”. IWA OutdoorClassics is an international gathering of outstanding importance: Last year almost two-thirds of the 39,244 trade visitors from 117 countries came to Nürnberg from outside Germany, likewise over three-quarters of the altogether 1,336 exhibitors from some 50 nations all over the world.* Please note: This is a TRADE ONLY Exhibition and all visitors are required to complete a full Ticket Application to validate their Trade Status. * The structural data are certified by FKM, the Society for Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition Statistics, Berlin.
LANTAC LANTAC is very pleased to announce that we have today licensed our products for Airsoft manufacture to MADBULL Airsoft. www.madbull.com There have been a number of unlicensed, sub-standard copies of our brakes manufactured by unscrupulous... companies and this new licensing deal will deliver a high quality 100% original product into the hands of Airsoft shooters across the world. We have also licensed our entire product line to include our SPADA Handguard System and UAR / Raven Upper and Lower receiver sets. So Airsoft shooters will be able to build a complete LANTAC rifle system if they desire. New 2015 products will also be included and you will be able to see all the new gear on our booth at SHOTSHOW 2015.
LANTAC is very pleased to announce that we have today licensed our products for Airsoft manufacture to MADBULL Airsoft. www.madbull.com There have been a number of unlicensed, sub-standard copies of our brakes manufactured by unscrupulous... companies and this new licensing deal will deliver a high quality 100% original product into the hands of Airsoft shooters across the world. We have also licensed our entire product line to include our SPADA Handguard System and UAR / Raven Upper and Lower receiver sets. So Airsoft shooters will be able to build a complete LANTAC rifle system if they desire. New 2015 products will also be included and you will be able to see all the new gear on our booth at SHOTSHOW 2015.
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december 2014
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NEWS THE LATEST AIRSOFT HEADLINES
S nts e”. ing ors wise 50 are tus. ary
New Airsoft Shop Opens in Colchester Opened on the 23rd September, THE BUNKER is a new shop, range and party venue that offers airsofters of all ages and experience somewhere new to shop and play in Essex. Situated at Unit C3 Cowdray Centre, in Colchester (SatNav: CO1 1BU) the shop is dedicated to both airsoft and air rifles, along with a large selection of consumables, scopes, accessories, clothing and equipment, from countries around the globe. There is also a dedicated rifle range and conference room, where The Bunker offers shooting experiences and runs parties for children from 5 years old. All party packages are tailor-made to suit the group and includes expert instruction on the use of weapons from qualified staff, competitions and a number of challenging scenarios, plus “Tea and Medals” afterwards.
For the slightly older (15+) Colchester Airsoft offers a unique fast paced Airsoft experience utilising MOD land close to the military Garrison of Colchester, Essex. We welcome players of all experience levels. So if you are new to the sport of Airsoft and looking for a safe place to start a new hobby, or an experienced player/skirmishers looking for new challenges, then we have an event that will be right for you. You won’t experience anything like it, guaranteed. We have a real passion for Airsoft and give players a real buzz, through our differing scenarios and game play. For more information, contact The Bunker on 01206 562 478 or 07733 070 809. They can also be found online at: www.facebook. com/thebunkercolchester
SPEED Airsoft releases KeyMod Foregrips SPEED Airsoft releases more airsoft accessories to support the KeyMod handguard rails for an exact fit and compatibility. The new SPEED KeyMod Foregrips will direct-mount with no adapters to any KeyMod based airsoft handguard system. Each SPEED KeyMod Foregrip kit includes SPEED Dual Spec KeyMod nuts that are fully CNC machined to ensure the highest quality and precision fitting onto any KeyMod handguard. All SPEED KeyMod based airsoft products come with the Dual Spec KeyMod nuts system, that will support and enable users to fully utilize SPEED KeyMod products on both KeyMod Mil Spec nut specification as well as KeyMod Airsoft nut specification. The following new SPEED KeyMod Foregrips are now available. Part# SA3716 SPEED KeyMod Foregrip - Blade (Black) Part# SA3717 SPEED KeyMod Foregrip - Blade (Silver) Part# SA3718 SPEED KeyMod Foregrip - Curve (Black) Part# SA3719 SPEED KeyMod Foregrip - Curve (Silver) Part# SA3720 SPEED KeyMod Foregrip - Twin Curve (Black)
KRISS Group to release licensed War Sport LVOA rifles through KRYTAC KRISS Group SA officially entered into a trademark licensing agreement with War Sport Industries, LLC to produce the LVOA rifles, in .22 LR and 6mm, through its training and recreational shooting products brand, KRYTAC. October 7, 2014 – Nyon, Switzerland – KRISS Group has entered into a worldwide license agreement with War Sport Industries, LLC to manufacture and distribute .22 LR and electric airsoft LVOA rifles under KRISS Group’s KRYTAC brand. The agreement between KRISS Group and War Sport Industries represents an important step forward for KRYTAC to produce affordable training solutions based on innovative firearm products. The LVOA’s advanced design compliments the KRYTAC rifle product line with its unique silhouette and reputation for excellence. “War Sport Industries is very excited to be partnering with KRISS Group SA in the LVOAtm trademark licensing agreement for the KRYTACtm and 22 LR product lines. The partnership brings two very innovative and “out of the box” manufacturers together to offer both training and recreational shooting products known as KRYTAC,” said Joey Boswell, CEO of War Sport Industries, LLC. The KRYTAC LVOA .22 LR is intended to become the affordable shooting alternative for the range day enthusiast and tactical trainer by replicating the form and function of the 5.56mm LVOA rifles. The KRYTAC LVOA AEG (Airsoft Electric Gun) will provide shooters with a low impact, non-lethal training solution and replicate many of the same features of the War Sport LVOA rifles. It will be powered by the KRYTAC Nautilus 8mm Reinforced Gearbox. The KRYTAC LVOA .22 LR and AEG are targeted for 2015. Release dates and pricing will be announced at the 2015 Shot Show Exhibition in Las Vegas, USA.
Part# SA3721 SPEED KeyMod Foregrip - Twin Curve (Silver) Part# SA3722 SPEED KeyMod Foregrip - Shark (Black) Part# SA3723 SPEED KeyMod Foregrip - Shark (Silver) SPEED airsoft products are all in-house CNC precision machined from USA grade billet aluminum by SPEED Airsoft in Canada. All SPEED Airsoft products are available through your favorite airsoft dealers worldwide. For more info, visit their website at www.SpeedAirsoft.com or contact them at SpeedAirsoft@ymail.com
www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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AA GALLERY READERS PHOTOS
ROGUE’S GALLERY vin Crowl rth Cornwall - Ke MIA Airsoft - No
Matt Butler photo bombin g Drew Molony Pic by John West
tac event at Some of the hunters at brit wn Bro e Dav from copehill down
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.
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DECEMBER 2014
The family before we wen t out for the day at Combat Action Games. Left to right Bertie, Rufus and Olly Jeckells SWAT F
ortress
Liverpo
ol Team
SWAT
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AA GALLERY READERS PHOTOS
ROGUE’S GALLERY ckells) in the and me (Olly Je Rufus Jeckells ck. ba rs he g each ot trench coverin
Sean Dooley - The Works
and The Sandpit
Scott Coleman
Sean Dooley - The Works
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and The Sandpit
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THE RIFLE THAT WON THE WAR G&G ARE HARKING BACK TO WORLD WAR II WITH ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER AND ICONIC RIFLES FROM THE US ARMY - THAT EVERY AIRSOFT COMPANY FORGOT TO MAKE. A FULL METAL AND REAL WOOD M1 GARAND that is made by a tried and tested Airsoft Manufacturer, could it finally be the M1 that we’ve all been waiting for? Airsoft Action’s man with his finger on the trigger, Scott Allan, received the very FIRST complete M1 for testing in a World exclusive! G&G, based in Taiwan, are the front runners these days in Airsoft. They have a bag full of ideas that continually make it to the production lines. I always imagine their factory to be like a Wallace and Gromit type affair, with a mad professor chap running about with rockets on his shoes being chased by some new contraption! Most likely I am completely wrong but you get the idea… In all seriousness, if the Airsoft world had another two or three companies like G&G we would have a very exciting marketplace indeed. With the newest Generation 3 rifles that are coming pre-upgraded, their value for money is increasing greatly. Their product range is varied and exciting, covering every rifle type imaginable and now from pretty much every era. The M1 was the main infantry weapon for the American GI throughout WWII, it really does surprise me that it’s taken so long for someone to produce a good electric version. Built around their M14 gearbox the G&G M1 shows great promise right from the get go. Quiet, solid performing gearboxes are always a great starting point when you have to come up with something new. But what I really want to know is, how does this compare to the God-awful ICS version I’ve used? 12
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The Real Steel The M1 is probably most famous for the “ping” from the En Bloc clip system. It is a huge rifle at 1.1 metres long and weighing in over 5 kilos and with thick wooden furniture you can understand why the American GI became so sceptical about the later M16. Firing the massive .30-06 calibre round, the same as the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), it was a large man-stopper of a round. The drawback with the design was the 8-round clip. The magazine was internal and you used the
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THE ARMOURY WORLD EXCLUSIVE | G&G M1 GARAND
“WWII Airsoft has never really been my scene but I think I would maybe consider it if I could use this behemoth of a rifle.”
8 round clip to load the magazine and on empty, occasionally to the delight of your enemy, an audible ping noise was made as the empty clip was ejected. While the design may seem archaic by today’s standards the rifle was (and still is) a very solid performer. Having fired the real version at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas I can only imagine how rough it would’ve been having to carry the M1 for days on end but… I was also acutely aware that if you hit someone with the mighty 30-06 round, they probably weren’t going to be having breakfast the next morning. I very much doubted the G&G version was going to provide the same bonedestroying power but I was keen none the less to see what they had on offer.
While nothing in the feature list is really going to make you tremble with excitement in terms of stats, remember it’s hard to make a WWII weapon that is more feature-heavy than a modern rifle, even with Airsoft. With the M1 being built on the great GR14 (which is really tried and tested and good), I did find it slightly odd that it is locked to single shot - but happy too. There is a release catch in event you get a lock up and I’d be tempted to run an 11.1v LiPo to help prevent this.
The G&G Version Externally G&G are always nice looking rifles. Their M4s may lack the nice finishes of a G&P but they are no less a great rifle internally, where it is important. The G&G M14s (GR14) have long stood toe to toe with the Tokyo Marui version and with a real wood version being available for less than the plastic imitation wood Marui version (and more powerful), it can be tough to justify the extra cost of the Marui. As I touched on earlier, the M1 is built off the M14 design, which is the other way around from the real steel version but these things happen. If you ever look at a M1 and a M14 side by side the designs are really similar - and why not, they are very good. Clearly the internal magazine is always going to be a tricky thing to master and design. The ICS version failed pretty badly with their magazine albeit that it was the only electric version for a long time. The performance I was confident was going to be good as this uses the M14 (aka GR14) gearbox. The only downside with the GR14 series is the Green Hop Rubber that G&G use. It is not bad, in fact quite the opposite; it’s too good at applying hop which means even with the hop all the way off 0.20g BBs will often fly skyward. The bodywork, it has to be said looks fantastic. While some may comment the colour isn’t quite 100% correct, you could argue that these were made over many years and undoubtedly there were some colour variations over this time. I’d love to spend the time stripping it back, re-treating and weathering the whole thing just to give it that more authentic look. WWII Airsoft has never really been my scene but I think I would maybe consider it if I could use this behemoth of a rifle. The cocking action is also like the GR14, so it is the best sounding out of all the Airsoft rifles available today. The magazine loads into the bottom of the rifle (unlike the real version), there is no blow back action and no “ping” on empty, which is exactly what I would expect from an electric version.
Testing this, straight out of the box was impressive… then the barrel fell off! Getting ready to rip G&G a new one I had a closer look. Clearly the courier who’d jumped on it a few times had tenderly loved the box in such a way that a locking grub screw had just worked loose. So less than a quarter turn and the whole thing was locked solid again. Running 0.30s with a little hop (as previously mentioned, 0.20g BBs were too light), the range hit out to a comfortable 60 metres. That’s not bad considering that G&G don’t offer Gen 2 or 3 on their GR14 range and this means you have a standard brass barrel inside. I can only imagine what a nice 6.03 tight-bore would give you in terms of accuracy at the far side. 20 effin rounds?? The magazine! Oh why, oh why this magazine? I can see what G&G have tried to do. They have tried to give you everything the original M1 had lookswise, whilst working around the existing GR14 system. The magazine, to be fair isn’t that bad it is just awkward and for something you’re going to be changing often you don’t really want “awkward”. The shape and the way the magazine locates is the key issue. www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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I found sometimes I got it first time, sometimes I had to have a few goes. Perhaps it was just my toe fingers, this particular model or I wasn’t doing something right. I really hope there is some kind of high-cap at some point, as 20 rounds is going to leave you in a bit of bother unless you are playing standard magazines only rules.
Conclusion This is the third mass-produced M1 I have seen; the first by Marushin was gas operated and fired much like the real version. The downside was it wasn’t very skirmishable due to the realistic action and low power. The second version was the ICS; I feel this was rushed to beat the G&G version and suffered greatly in design, function and overall looks. It wasn’t bad it just really wasn’t great. Now we have the G&G version, built on the M14 gearbox which is brilliant although the magazine is a fiddle. So really, you are between a rock and a semi-hard place. The G&G is by far the best shooting and looking but costs more than the ICS. But if you want something that is worth the hassle then why not spend a little more and get what you want? It is the very best of a limited supply. At least of your 20 rounds, you know they’re going to fly straight and true to your enemy. So grab your tin hat because for you the war is not over. It’s only just begun…
features FULL METAL REAL WOOD REAL MARKINGS 8MM GR14 GEARBOX VENTED PISTON HEAD GREEN HOP RUBBER 20 ROUND MAGAZINES 350FPS SINGLE SHOT ONLY NO PING! CIRCA £425-450 ON RELEASE
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KARABINER 98 KURTZ
WITH THE SURGE IN INTEREST SURROUNDING WW2 AIRSOFT, RATTY LOOKS BACK AT THE AIRSOFT VERSION OF AN ICONIC RIFLE OF THE TIME. THIS YEAR HAS SEEN THE 70TH anniversaries of many a big battle as well as many more of the lesser known ones. There has been a surge in demand for World War II period airsoft guns, perhaps down to these commemoratives. Over the last few years this particular era in history has seen a fair few manufacturers launching their versions of various Second World War weapons in different formats. In fact some guns have seen more than one manufacturer making a version to vie for sales in this ever-lucrative market and the KAR 98K is one such popular model. In what we consider a modern airsoft format, Tanaka of Japan were the first to make a 98K and the model is still in production today. With quality wood and great gas internals, the Tanaka overall has a fantastic build finish. Although not using a “live shell” type system, the Tanaka made a great, skirmishable weapon. Available in two versions, “home” or “export” dictates the muzzle velocity you will get from your 98K, however due to how well made they are, Tanakas command high prices. 16
DECEMBER 2014
A few years ago D-Boys made both spring and gas versions of the 98K. Using a “live shell” system the D-boys was great for realism, but not so great as a skirmish rifle. The wood used on these was far removed from the quality wood used by Tanaka. They were cheap by comparison though, the spring version retailed for less than £200, with the gas version around only £20 or so more. So why do we need another 98K? Where does the PPS version fit into amongst the versions described above? Read on and let’s see what it’s all about…
Real Steel The Karabiner 98 Kurz (often abbreviated to KAR 98K, K98 or K98K) was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles. Derived from earlier Mauser models (the Standardmodell and Karabiner 98B) which themselves were a development from the Gewehr 98, the 98K was shorter than the 98B and was designated as the “Karabiner 98 Kurz” (meaning “short”). Like its predecessor, this bolt action rifle was
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THE ARMOURY PPS KAR 98K
“The noise it makes as you pull the bolt back then slide it home before locking it all down, make your hairs on the back of your neck stand up, well just a little!”
r
noted for its reliability, great accuracy and an effective range of up to 500metres using the standard iron sights and up to 1,000metres with an 8 x telescopic sight fitted. Chambered for the 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge, the 98K packed a punch too. It was adopted in 1935 as the standard service rifle by the German Wehrmacht and saw service with all branches of the German military, in all theatres of warfare until the German surrender in 1945. Despite being comparable to other army’s service rifles at the outbreak of World war II, being bolt action its rate of fire became a disadvantage as other semi-automatic rifles became standard issue. At the end of war the Soviets captured millions of the 98Ks, which they later gave as “military aid” to various countries around the world. During the conflicts and wars in the Balkans in the 1990s Yugoslavian made 98Ks, along with the later Yugoslavian derivatives M48 and M48A rifles, were in use by all participating warring factions. In the more recent 2003 Gulf War, US and allied forces encountered and seized Mauser Karabiner 98Ks, along with Lee Enfields and Moisin-Nagants that were in use with insurgents, alongside more modern weapons such as the AK series. There are many third world countries that still have KAR 98Ks in their arsenals and we are sure to be coming across them in conflicts for many years to come. Funnily enough, the Bundeswehr still uses the KAR 98K in the Wachbatallion for military parades and shows. After much criticism by the Social Democratic Party of Germany, about there still being Swastikas and other Nazi–era markings on these rifles, in 1995 they went through a programme having all such markings removed.
PPS 98K I can hear you all now, PPS… WHO?? Based in Hong Kong, they are a fairly recent addition to the ever-swelling list of Airsoft manufacturers. Initially making a fairly wide variety of accessories, they soon ventured into making full-blown rifles. Their gas M700 was launched and received good feedback and this was followed by the Russian Moisin Nagant, again in gas format. Having seen one of these, I was rather impressed with both the build quality as well as overall performance. If their 98K model is anywhere near as good as this, then we are in for another treat! On opening up the plain brown box, inside lay what looks like a lovely model of the 98K. Included with the rifle itself is its bolt assembly and gas magazine, as well as a fairly comprehensive manual in “Chinglish”. Getting the rifle out you can instantly start to feel that this is a well put together bit of kit. The wood, apart from being “real” wood is of a decent quality (stained beech wood) and actually all matches up. The bolt, main receiver, barrel and all the other working parts are of metal construction and are finished in a satin black. Fitting the bolt assembly into the rifle takes seconds and mimics exactly its real counterpart. The whole rifle has got some nice weight to it and yet still feels very balanced when handling and, more importantly, when it’s in the shoulder. The bolt has the safety catch built into it and again, just like the real version it is very basic and simple to operate. It is a bit stiff and can only be engaged
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when the rifle has been cocked. The trigger itself seems light, but not light enough that it will go off from being knocked, or accidentally. Housed just inside the trigger guard is the magazine release catch. To release the mag, the bolt must be to the rear (in its open position) then push down on the lever to allow the mag to be free. Just remember to have your hand underneath to catch it!! The iron sights fitted to the PPS 98K are of the standard anti-aircraft type and are adjustable. The magazine is very similar (in fact perhaps even the same) as the M700 series and fills in exactly the same way. The blurb says the mags hold 11 rounds, but I never recommend that you ram a mag to its fullest capacity. So for testing, I will be loading up maximum of 10 rounds per mag. I must admit that my initial impressions are very positive, this 98k feels like it is built for some serious action and everything is where it should be, allowing for fitment of real slings and sight mounts etc.
Using the 98K OK, let’s face it, the 98K is never going to be your 1st choice weapon for playing at a CQB site. If you are playing mostly outdoors and woodlands and you fancy something different or as a sniper rifle, the fact that this operates in the same way as the far more expensive Tanaka version, should make it far more useable than any “live shell” version on the market. Again, if you are into “period” games, this would make a great alternative to the MP40s and MP44s that have been the mainstay of German WW II weapons on such events. For testing today I will be using ASG Ultrair and Blaster 0.20g BBs and from there we will run some tests using heavier weight ammo. First thing though, I have given the gun a good wipe down with a piece of cloth to clean off any excess grease, followed by a quick barrel clean, lubed up the working parts and gave the mag a few short sharp squirts of silicone spray. After filling up the mag with ASG Ultair and loading up with 10 BBs I’m ready to rock. Onto the testing range, I first of all rattled out just over 100 shots to help bed everything in. During this I left the mag to run out of gas totally to see how many shots were achievable from just the one fill. Amazingly, it achieved some 40+ shots before the final thud and nothing coming out of the barrel. The trigger pull is clean and crisp and the bolt action workings are smooth if not too rushed and are a nice change to the modern stuff. The noise it makes as you pull the bolt back then slide it home before locking it all down, make your hairs on the back of your neck stand up, well just a little! Once the running-in process was completed, it was time to get some chrono readings. With a fully charged mag it was achieving readings of between 425-440fps. Although it was hitting my man size target at some 50 metres, the shots were a little wayward due to running the lighter 0.20g ammo. So with a fresh charge of gas, I proceeded to load up with Madbull 0.36g BBs. The first shot and WOW!! What a difference. The accuracy went up 10-fold and although never hitting exactly the same spot twice (more shooter error methinks!) I was getting them all within a couple of inches of each other. Every time, it
was consistent, both on power and accuracy and, being gas, it’s also nice and quiet. With airsoft mimicking reality is big part of our sport and adding realism, you should really do a full cycle of cocking the weapon, which takes a couple of seconds for example. However, being airsoft, you can cheat a little by not pulling the bolt all the way back to rear, only about an inch or so, thus still allowing the working parts to do their bit and re-cocking the weapon. This then, speeds up your reload time thus allowing to get more rounds down onto target making you look super cool, provided its different targets each time obviously!! Due to it being bolt action, “cool down” from its gas system is minimized. There is also a CO2 magazine available if you so choose, for more year-round useability as well as added consistency.
Summary At the beginning of this article I asked where does the PPS 98K fit into the scheme of things and do we really need another version of this particular rifle? When looking at purchasing a new rifle, having a wide selection of options can only be a good thing. The PPS KAR 98K fits into several niche markets. First off (obviously) is the World War II scene. It will fit with any German uniform from the era or maybe even a resistance fighter! If you building a load-out for pretty much any campaign since 1945, the 98k wouldn’t look out of place. Lastly, it makes a great sniper rifle and is a fantastic alternative to the usual options. THE PPS 98K is a very well put together and useable as a skirmish weapon, with its consistency on power and accuracy, without having to worry where your shells have gone. Retailing at around the £300-mark it fills the gap nicely between the cheaper D-Boys version and the much more expensive Tanaka version. I surprised myself and really like the weapon overall. It’s a bit of a dark horse, but one well worthy of its place in your stable….
SPECIFICATIONS PPS KARABINER 98K RIFLE (GAS POWER, REAL WOOD) ITEM WEIGHT (GRAM):-3350 MAJOR COLOUR:-STAINED WOOD/ BLACK METAL LENGTH:-1100MM BARREL LENGTH:-~577MM HOP-UP:-ADJUSTABLE SHOOTING MODE:-MANUAL OTHER POWER SOURCE:- GREEN GAS MAGAZINE CAPACITY:-11 ROUNDS POWER (MUZZLE VELOCITY):-420 -440FPS FULL METAL BOLT SYSTEM AND SOLID COCKING MOTION SOUND FEATURED A QUICK-RELEASE BOLT REAL WOOD STOCK ANTIAIRCRAFT SIGHT WITH RANGE ADJUSTMENT
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See our comparison review of the SMLE v KAR 98 article by Military Historian, Will Fowler, starting on page 89
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“There are a few drawbacks, well almost curious features really, that are a little more effort to live with - a bit like a member of Greenpeace wanting to buy a Lamborghini.”
NO BULL! STUDIOUSLY AVOIDING ALL THE OBVIOUS CLICHÉS, SCOTT ALLAN TAKES A LOOK AT THE LATEST OFFERING FROM S&T THE BIZON, OR BISON, IS ALSO A REALLY BIG COW, sometimes called a buffalo. Why anyone would call a Sub Machine Gun (SMG) a buffalo or really big cow is beyond me. S&T have had a crack at making their version so let’s see if it cud be better or not…. Bad pun intended! When you don’t want to cross-train your troops on different weapon systems, you make them operate in a similar fashion. The US has the M4 platform, Russia has the AK platform and the UK has…. Well that’s a different story but you get the idea. The AK range is hugely functional and popular; you have the 12 gauge Saiga variant, 7.62mm short classic type, 5.45mm modern type and the Bizon 9mm SMG type. By doing this you save time and increase the effectiveness of your troops. Seems like a simple yet effective way to do things and makes you wonder why more countries don’t follow suit. Smart Team, or S&T, are relatively new in the Airsoft manufacturing game. Distributing many other brands and sharing striking resemblances to Ares rifle designs, the company profile is a little confusing. That said they are producing a good number of rifles that look great, work even better and suit most player’s wallets. They produce for Umarex, ASG and Echo 1 to name but a few and in a variety of quality ranges. I firmly believe that S&T are a company to watch over the next 18 months, with more exciting variants and models appearing every few months, although their marketing department could use a little work as we never know what’s coming out until it arrives on the news websites. 20
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A compact full steel AK variant that stands out from the crowd, it’s hard to think that there would be any drawbacks. There are a few drawbacks, well almost curious features really, that are a little more effort to live with - a bit like a member of Greenpeace wanting to buy a Lamborghini. You might laugh but that’s how I felt as I stood with the Bizon and three magazines. It was a bit of “What am I meant to bloody do with these?” of course there was a chorus of amusing answers from the team.
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THE ARMOURY S&T BIZON
The Real Steel The Bizon is a 9mm-eating beast, unlike the bovine it is named after in almost every way. The magazine is one of the most obvious and noteworthy areas, it looks somewhere between a grenade launcher and a flashlight on the underside of the barrel. The helical 64-round magazine is very unusual but it does give you 64 rounds of 9mm, which is brilliant for dealing with nasty bad guys who have 10-30 round magazines. You might say I’m sure I’ve seen this system before, that’s because it is very similar to the US Calico M960 and M100. There was actually an Airsoft version of the M100 many years ago in the “classic” days. So grab your Pringle can magazine and get set because in Soviet Russia, the Pringle can pops you!
types but they’re still going to be tricky due to the overall length. Yet at 160 rounds that’s a decent size magazine so I wouldn’t be expecting to run out very quickly. The accuracy was very average and around what I expected, you should reach out to around 50 metres without a great degree of accuracy. It’s around the same as a bog standard G&P. The only thing was this version came with a M120 pumping out 420fps which is far too high for anywhere in the UK. I clipped the spring down to a friendlier 350fps but it was a noticeable drop in power.
The Airsoft version Being a compact AK-type, it does have a certain appeal to it. The magazine is a very comfortable as a front grip, better than your average AK by a sizable margin. The full steel construction gives it a good weight without you worrying about it falling apart in your hands. There is a metal side rail for fitting those bizarre AK optics that look very funky. The side folding skeleton stock means your battery is in the top cover, although that isn’t too big a deal these days with LiPo batteries. The cocking handle is also notable as it is the correct Bizon type, which is slightly different from the standard AK. Internally the Bizon is like all other AKs, which is good for longterm usage. The Version 3 gearbox means you can repair and upgrade until your heart is content. Sometimes it can be worth it straight away, other times it can be best to leave things as they are. The S&T here is 50/50 for me, the vented cylinder, 7mm bushes, metal bearing spring guide, standard piston and vented piston head are all okay. Undoubtedly they could be a little better but they’ll see you fine out of the box. The gears appear to be steel which is great news. The motor is a bog-standard Chinese high torque, more and more I change out motors very quickly for snappy trigger response and better rates of fire. They’ll use less battery and give you a better performance. The brass standard barrel sits with a metal hop unit, again all okay but could be slightly better. The gearbox was full of yucky green grease that I’ve seen in a few of the Chinese gearboxes. Once that was all cleaned and set properly it’s really quite nice. At the end of it, the AK design is a love it or hate it thing. The next issue is the magazines, or more like the storage of them. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there are few companies out there who make chest rigs for large cylindrical magazines. In fact I’m not sure that anyone really makes a pouch for it. Best bet will be the P90 double
The magazine fed well to the last few BBs, which I kind of expected. Normally magazines are tight for space, this is hardly the case for the Bizon magazine. I believe there are high capacity magazines out there that hold 1,000 rounds and work similarly to the P90 high capacity magazines. The magazine looks like it might be awkward but overall it isn’t; the front end loads into a hinge point and then the rear just locks in. I’m unsure how you would manage in a proper flap but I suspect it isn’t going to be as easy as an M4 but not really any more difficult than a normal AK. I actually opted for putting one in each of my cargo pocket in my trousers. Simplicity prevails once again! The 11.1v LiPo gave me a decent trigger response and good rate of fire but I know deep down I want this rammed full of Ultimate Upgrade parts to get the best performance out of it. The only thing I did notice that seems strange, is that the body pin that locks the stock into position doesn’t work www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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when the magazine is in place. I have checked this against the real steel and it is not like this on the real version. I suspect the pin has been designed after the magazine, it nearly fits... Just not quite. In fairness I’d only ever fold the stock for storage as the package is more than compact already.
Conclusion People’s opinions on AKs are more fickle than Ivan and his sickle, they love them but use M4s. It is sadly true and infuriating that most players sway to the “good guy” guns (as I’ve heard them called). Many times I have been tempted to buy a Gorka suit, get an AK chest rig and a blue and white Spetznaz tshirt, now we have the S&T Bizon I just might!
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features FULL STEEL FOLDING STOCK LENGTH 484 – 739MM WEIGHT 2.8KG POWER 350FPS – STARTED AT 420! MAGAZINE: BESPOKE BIZON 160 MAGAZINE RRP £230
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s EL CK M KG 0! 60 NE 30
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Gear Overview KIT AND KABOODLE
KIT AND KABOODLE FIREBASEALPHA TAKES HIS REGULAR LOOK AT THINGS THAT HAVE CAUGHT HIS EYE OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS. Applied Orange Performance Equipment – Multicam ‘TROPIC’ uniform When this pattern, along with the rest of the family was released earlier this year it caused a big stir across the gear world. What was most surprising was the fact that, of the small selection of uniform manufactures working in the MC Tropic pattern, a select few were from Europe and not the USA! What you have here is the Applied Orange uniform set comprising of their world-wide recognised UBAX’s top, short brim ‘boonie’ hat and the recent edition of the FDD Trousers (Field Duty Design). The trousers are the new GEN2 trousers following extensive testing and feedback from earlier this year and both the UBAX’s and trousers utilise the D30 Hard impact protection system. What is missing is the FDD Jacket which is currently being developed as we speak, with a launch in the near future once T&E has been completed. A full review of this uniform will be in Airsoft Action in the immediate future. Manufacturer and Retailer – Applied Orange Performance Equipment
Orca Industries – ‘Patch Mat’ Now I am a self-confessed ‘Patch Whore’ and I am sure that I am not the only out there. When it comes to looking after my patches I use the best in the business: Orca Industries Patch Mat. This is a very strong and durable storage system comprising of original Multicam Cordura, heavy metal grommets for mounting on walls etc. as well as YKK Loop for placement of your ‘hooked’ items and very generous with the mat sizing at 18” x 24”. These mats can be rolled or folded to secure your patches/items when transporting and can hold a lot. Technically you could mount most things that you apply a ‘hook’ backing to within reason, including Holsters and shell & magazine pouches. Retailer – Pro-Airsoft Supplies Cost - £34.99
Tiger Tailor – Multicam ‘TROPIC’ chest rig & pouches Tiger Tailor is one of the first tactical nylon manufacturers to bring a Multicam TROPIC system to market to compliment the uniforms that are now available. The core system is the Gen4 X7 magazine ‘Chestright’ chest rig. This has a few improvements on my current Gen3 chest rig, which will be covered off in a later edition of Airsoft Action. You are also able to get the ‘Dumperator’ dump pouch (version2), MuFo (GP pouch), x3 magazine ‘Rushingle’ (version2) and double magazine pistol pouches to add to the modular chest rig, allowing the user the versatility required for a personal load out. Being able to purchase some very high end gear manufactured by an ‘active military’ focused company based in Europe is a very big win and if you have not heard of Tiger Tailor then you need to re-address that ASAP! Manufacturer and Retailer – Tiger Tailor
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Helikon-Tex – ‘MALAMUTE’ Cold Weather Vest. I am not sure what the weather is like where you are but here in Scotland we have had a very pleasant summer and now moving into October, we are only just starting to feel a chill in the evenings. There is certainly no need for extreme cold or wet weather gear yet however the need to maintain our core body temperature is still required. This is a vest I used in early 2014 and it has now come back into my “active” locker. Helikon-Tex have used rip-stop nylon fabric for the outer layer (water resistant) and ‘Climashield APEX’ found in their ECW (Extreme Cold Weather) range for insulation, which combined has created a very light weight and compressible vest designed to be quickly fitted and easy to carry. It has a number of features you would expect and is available in three solid colours Green, Black and Coyote Brown. Retailer – Military 1st Cost - £71.99
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ew ODLE
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BANGED UP! MOST PEOPLE DO WHATEVER THEY CAN TO STAY OUT OF JAIL BUT THIS NEW SITE IN RUTLAND GIVES AIRSOFTERS THE CHANCE TO SEE WHAT IT WAS LIKE FROM THE INSIDE. GARETH HARVEY REPORTS… WHEN THE ED TOLD ME I’D BE GOING TO JAIL I thought he might have found out about my shady side-line gunrunning business but no, he was asking me to check out one of the most interesting and unusual sites the Midlands has to offer. All in all it was a weird weekend, in 48 hours I’d have spent time in two institutions I’d hoped not to spend any time inside... A HMP correctional facility (the Guardroom in the army was enough to keep me on the straight and narrow for life!) and a mental hospital (see next issue…). But I’m ahead of myself so as with all things, it’s probably best to start at the beginning… Recently there has been a surge in good quality urban sites on leased grounds that you might normally never get to set foot on (Staffordshire’s “The Block” and Kidderminster’s “The Asylum” to name just two) and the latest offering from MCG Airsoft is really something out of the ordinary. MCG’s head marshal Justin explained to me that a few months ago they gained the lease to (and permissions to play airsoft in) a recently decommissioned prison in Rutland. When we say “recently” it’s probably best to explain that one wing was only open for six months before the place was shut down and the prisoners moved elsewhere – so if you want to know where your tax money goes… well a lot of it goes into building prisons that see more airsofters than convicts! Anyway, Justin kindly invited me along to do some “time” at The Gaol and see what MCG had to offer. Located in the area of Rutland, Oakham prison is fairly easy to get to from my neck of the woods and before long the wife and I had found the site - it’s not easy to miss… It’s the big brick building surrounded by 30 feet of barbed wire fences! Once I’d unpacked the kit from the car and shocked many a player with their first site of a “modern warfare” Gadge, who’d swapped 60s battledress for 5.11 and Crye for the day, I headed inside to the first pleasant surprise of many. Make no mistake, the safezone and facilities are frankly incredible. Justin had apologised about the “temporary” safe zone but when you’ve got flushing, plumbed-in toilets, a breakfast bar serving hot food and refrigerated drinks (and tea and coffee) and
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Game Review MCG AIRSOFT – THE GAOL
”Bad luck on the draw and a dedicated Commando team saw the SAS really struggle throughout the day and this, compounded by a deceptively warm and muggy day, had my teammates and I sweating to secure every single post”
a comfy safe area with sofas and armchairs, you wonder if this the “temporary” one, what on earth is the main one like! Finishing off the safe’s ample facilities was a well-stocked shop and battery charging service. While everyone got kitted up and waited for the brief I tucked into a bacon roll and waited in line to chrono my arsenal for the day (a pump action shotgun, a Skorpion machine pistol and my infamous “testing” AK). It’s probably fair to mention at this point that I’ve known Justin for some time but also he knew that I wouldn’t be making allowances for friendship, as a dishonest review does nobody any favours. I look like a liar, the customer gets a false impression and the site gets dissatisfied players. To this end, in the past I’ve been known to deliberately take a hot gun to sites and see if I’ll “get away with it” on the strength of being with a magazine, or purely as an “old mate”. I was delighted that The Gaol’s team clocked my “hot” AK and told me I wouldn’t be able to use it… and I wouldn’t have it any other way. So “test one” passed! The day’s plan of attack was quite involved for a Sunday skirmish. A scenario had been devised in which a team of commandos had captured a high security prison and set up warhead launchers full of chemical weapons. An elite team of SAS escorting a scientist, codename “Goodspeed” had been dispatched to break in and neutralise the threat. If that sounds familiar it’s probably because the game was loosely based around the hit action film The Rock, starring Sean Connery as ex-SAS and Nicholas Cage as the aforementioned “Goodspeed”. All the players had previously agreed to wear either multicam/tan (the Commandos) or predominately black kit (the SAS). Once the scenario brief was over it was time for the game rules and safety brief. These were fairly standard fare for airsoft sites but the brief was concise and delivered humorously to keep players focussed. FPS limits were, as I mentioned, strictly enforced and due to the close contact nature of the site only single shot was allowed on weapons. Moscarts were allowed but had to be fired into the floor of a room with a shout of “Moscart!” and rooms hit in this way had no survivors. All in all it was a good ruleset, concessions were made to safety but it was far from mollycoddling players and both BFG and “fizzy” pyro (up to MKIV) were allowed as well as sniper rifles in outside areas. I decided to embed myself with the SAS team and we soon trooped out into the game area and make no mistake, being in a prison, even as a guest, is terrifyingly claustrophobic and imposing. Before long we assembled on the sports pitch (our heli drop www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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zone) and with a call of “Game on!” belted towards “G Block” to secure a tactical base. The prison itself consists of three large playable cell blocks with connecting exercise yards, dog pens and guard posts. Our battle started at G Block, a curiously out of place looking complex of green wooden huts (originally from an oil rig!) and over time we would fight our way to the more traditional brick buildings of E and F Blocks. Like many “urban” sites they can appear a little empty without the usual “furniture” intended for rooms but MCG have gone a long way to combat this by creating mazes and “dark room” areas, lit only by red screened windows in some of the blocks… and of course there is the built-in cell block furniture. But back to the game… After getting an easy foothold in G Block it was a real slog to get the Commandos out and find the warheads. To add to the “realism” of the game each team had designated medics and if you took a hit, you called for a medic and drew a token from a bag. One of them was “dead” and off to the regen you trudged, another could keep you back in the game (just a flesh wound) and a final dreaded token was a “Medevac”; not only did you have to go back to the regen but the team’s medic had to go back with
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Game Review MCG AIRSOFT – THE GAOL
you! Bad luck on the draw and a dedicated Commando team saw the SAS really struggle throughout the day and this, compounded by a deceptively warm and muggy day, had my teammates and I sweating to secure every single post while the enemy seemed to repulse us with ease. I do have to say though, that most of this was probably due to more “get up and go” on the part of the Commando team. It’s easy to blame early reverses on “well they are defending so it’s easier” but their counter-attacks were swift, well-co-ordinated and aggressive. There was no full stop for dinner, instead each team commander sent small fire teams back to the safe zone to get fed while the rest of the guys held the line. Here I think the SAS team made another mistake by sending too many people back at once, allowing the Commandos to easily gain ground we’d sweated and bled over (quite literally, it was a hot day and those close range shots caused a few “bleeders”) but who could blame them. Lunch was as good as breakfast, with a choice between hot subway-style sandwiches, a can of cold pop and plenty of extras like chocolate bars for sale if you needed a sugar rush. If I could fault one aspect of the site it is the unfortunate “choke points” or bottlenecks that sometimes occurred during the day. By its very nature a prison needs to control access and egress and have clear fields of view – something that is not always great for an airsoft site. However quality marshalling and the erection of screens alleviated most of this and it’s an ongoing project for the MCG guys to open up more routes around the site by knocking “mouse holes” between buildings, plus screening off some fencing to 8ft (to prevent the frustrating scenario of being able to see a guy ten metres away through a mesh fence but not hit him) and blacking out windows. It took some time but eventually we fought our way to the more modern E and F Blocks and after I’d taken in the shock that I’d stayed in scummier Halls of Residence at Uni (and far more decrepit army barracks) than these “cell blocks” with en-suite bathrooms and TV brackets on the walls, I had to face the more real shock of a Commando counter-attack. We just could not get those guys out!
To prevent a stalemate, Justin’s team used story-based marshal calls to move players around to create more openings but even with these we were just outclassed; I’d love to blame the layout of the site but it wasn’t that, the Commandos simply had more “go” in them. At the end of the mission we all trudged back to the safe zone hot and exhausted (and were pleasantly surprised to find a box of free ice pops to tuck into) for the debrief. As with most games none of us really cared who had won and players congratulated each other on a good day’s play as they packed up. It’s a commonly known fact that a high proportion of those that have gone to jail end up back inside before long… I think I’m going to be part of that (airsoft) statistic!
MCG The Gaol MCG Events Oakham Enterprise Park Burley Oakham Rutland Tel 07976457602 Email Justin@mcgthegaol.co.uk http://mcgthegaol.co.uk
www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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SKIRMISH CUP 2014 THE SKIRMISH CUP BRINGS TEAMS IN FROM ACROSS ESSEX AND BEYOND, SO WE ASKED JB FROM BADGERTAC2 TO GIVE US THE LOW-DOWN ON THIS ANNUAL EVENT I ARRIVED EARLY ON THE SATURDAY MORNING, in not the greatest weather but I’m sure you’ll all agree that an overcast day in the woods, making silhouettes darker and creating shadows for us to manipulate and maneuver through, creates a thrilling airsoft environment. So what better day to hold an event such as the 2014 Skirmish Cup, at Skirmish Billericay in Essex. In the Safe Zone I recognized a few familiar faces from the Essex airsoft scene but even before I could introduce myself, Ray and Shelly from Tactical Quartermaster (the onsite shop) had a hot brew in my hand, so I asked Ray to brief myself on everything; from format to rules and penalties. The way the Skirmish Cup works is based around a skirmish game that is played on regular walk on events, called “The Card Game” - but on a much bigger scale! In the Card Game, each player is given a playing card at the beginning of each round. This card is essentially the player’s life and if he/she is hit, then they must present the playing card to the player that shot them and return to the safe zone. At the end of the round each team hands in the playing cards that they have accumulated from that particular battle. The colour and pattern on the back of the playing cards changes throughout the rounds to prevent any cheating, as we all know no one likes a cheat in airsoft - take your hits! (Oops! Sorry, back to it…). Penalty points are also a major factor and are issued for multiple reasons, although the one that really stuck out to me, was guns chronoing over the set limit - what a great idea this was! Another innovation I really liked was the pistol stage. Two teams sit out of each round of the card game and these teams participated in a IPSC-style pistol run involving team work, accuracy and other aspects such as weapon transition. This was scored accordingly and the total added to each team’s score on the massive scoreboard that took centre-stage in the safe zone. Now that you understand the layout, you can see why it took me a brew or two to take it all in but what it amounted to was a very professional and perfected layout for an airsoft competition, involving 18 teams of 6 men per team - you do the maths!
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EVENT SKIRMISH CUP 2014
“WHAT IT AMOUNTED TO WAS A VERY PROFESSIONAL AND PERFECTED LAYOUT FOR AN AIRSOFT COMPETITION, INVOLVING 18 TEAMS OF 6 MEN PER TEAM – YOU DO THE MATHS!”
How do you handle that many people on site, in a competitive environment where, in the heat of the moment, a player could make the decision to not take a hit in order to earn his team an extra point or two? The answer is simple and exactly what the Skirmish Billericay guys did… Man-power in marshals! There was easily one marshal per team, as well as others monitoring key areas of the site. I went out with a team from Colchester, “The 39ers” who I had previous played airsoft with myself and who, just making their start point, avoided any penalties, which is always a good start! Gathering their bearing this round didn’t see much action for the 39ers but throughout the 40 acres of varying terrain, it was evident there were numerous fire fights playing out, with battle cries and hit-calling throughout the site. By the end of the round all teams seemed to be much more lively and the atmosphere in the safe zone lifted, with teams all huddling in and discussing their Plan Of Action for the next round. The 39ers were selected to start at the purpose-built CQB area, so I decided to stick with them for this next round to get a feel for the newest addition to the everexpanding Skirmish Billericay site. As soon as the round started this turned out to be a good decision, as there was action from the off with both thermobaric and smoke grenades being thrown to gain any advantage possible. Inside the CQB area it is a network of walk-ways and open areas, with burned out vehicles featuring throughout, which provided some excellent play. At one point there were three teams negotiating their way through these close quarters, with both shots and cards exchanged with hit players, while marshals were on top of every fire fight ensuring that the correct parties received the correct cards. After all that CQB excitement, I followed a couple of teams through the pistol run; a multi-weapon, multi-stage course that tested the shooter’s accuracy, speed and drills. Starting with a long range shot hitting a cowbell to signal the shooter’s round had commenced, they set off up the hill in pairs completing stages as they went, while swapping between one another and transitioning to their side arms depending on what was instructed to them. Not many teams scored high on the course, which kept the score board level as the teams participating did not compete in on-going combat rounds. Lunch followed with all the teams having some good scoring rounds. There is a full cafe on site and this is where I met Jim and Jackie for the first time today. They had intended to be more involved in the day’s activities but being short staffed, they had a www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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inside airsoft SKIRMISH CUP 2014
results SKIRMISH CUP 2014 RESULTS 1ST SINISTER 616 2ND ROGUE ANGELS 3RD X-RAY RAIDERS 4TH THE L.A.W. 5TH THE SCHRUTES *RIFLEMEN very important job to do to - man the cafe and keep everyone fed and watered! Lunch gave me the chance to chat to a lot more participating players as they weren’t huddled in their teams. Asking for feedback I can honestly say that not one bad word was said, everyone was on a buzz and agreed that the hit-taking far exceeded expectations for a competitive environment where there’s trophies and bragging rights up for grabs! The afternoon’s rounds flew by concluding the day’s play and Jackie got a complementary BBQ on the go while the scores were added up. To conclude on the day, it was a raging success and the whole team involved in the organisation and execution of the event was truly flawless. When I write a review I believe in always reporting both the positives and negatives but I am searching and cannot find a fault in the day. The main point I would like to highlight is the fact that a competitive event within airsoft can happen and has been happening for a while. Hit-taking at these events can be controlled by quantity in marshals and so it should, as a competitive edge within airsoft is a different dimension to the game we love so dearly. I personally have had an interest in competitive airsoft for a few years now so jumped at the chance to review this event and in my honest opinion, the Skirmish Cup is THE competitive airsoft event to be at within the UK. Trophies were awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams along with an additional “Rifleman Trophy” and, although trophies were awarded, it still felt as though every team won. Please excuse the cliché but it really did! The sportsmanship shown throughout the day made it a real top draw event and I for one cannot wait to be back next year… entering a team of my own! 34
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TROPHY* 6TH ECHO TROOP 7TH THE THIRTY NINERS 8TH TASK FORCE 141 =9TH GRAVY SEALS =9TH ODD BODS 10TH SLEEPER CELL 11TH EAST LONDON =12TH GHOST CREED =12TH NO ABBREVIATIONS 13TH MERCENARIES 14TH TALITUBBIES 15TH REAPER CREW 16TH TWO TONE ANGELS
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5 colours TYPE: duration: ignition: usage: availability:
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TYPE: duration: ignition: usage: availability:
BWP40 B WP4 40 20-30 20 30 0 sec wire p pull assault assau ult /cqb w worldwide orldwide
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EG1 EG18 8 90-120 90-12 20 sec wire p pull cover cover smok smoke e worldwide worldw wide
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ROLLING DOWN THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL OSCAR P GETS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIGHT IN THE LATEST INSTALMENT OF GUNMAN AIRSOFT’S VIETNAM FILMSIM I’M LYING IN THE SUN, MY STRAW HAT PULLED DOWN over my face. I’ve watched the glow of the sun fall through the afternoon sky for the last half hour, as I and my comrades in the Viet Cong have lain in wait. My Kalashnikov is across my chest, grenades at my side. Soon they will come. The Americans. The men with Green Faces. We are in Cambodia, across the border from Vietnam. The border is nothing but a political idea. The jungle has no wire, no signs – nothing to stop us coming and going as we please. Uncle Ho has been sending us supplies and men down a trail just inside Cambodia for the last few months, ammunition and supplies to send against the GIs. We have named the route for our glorious leader – the Ho Chi Minh Trail. But now the Yankees have finally dragged themselves away from their Hamburgers and Hooches and they are coming to find us. Some of them are there on purpose – the men in Tiger Stripes, searching us out and sending the accursed bombers to try and destroy us. In their ignorance, they think there is one trail; there is not. We move through the jungle along a thousand paths; I myself have carried boxes of ammunition on my back or strapped to the saddle of a bicycle. In one day we have carried 6 boxes of ammunition past their patrols and delivered it to our comrades in Vietnam. But now their western pride is making them stupid. Their anger and frustration is causing them to make mistakes; the GIs, clumsy and awkward under their heavy packs, are stung into chasing us across the border, although their masters in Washington deny that they ever cross the line. Their newspapers will tell a different story soon; just this morning a squad of Americans walked straight into an ambush. We hid in our spider holes, dug well in under the trees of the jungle. Their first man was thrown backwards as our leader sprayed them with his Bren, a relic from the earlier war against the French. We moved quickly and surrounded them. Despite their technology and all their training, we massacred them. Only one of our men was hit. We carried him, wounded, back to our camp.
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event report GUNMAN ‘NAM
“We moved quickly and surrounded them. Despite their technology and all their training, we massacred them. Only one of our men was hit.”
We also brought one American, wounded but still breathing. The waste of one bandage on him will be worth it when his picture flies around the world to tell the truth about the Americans’ lies. We move where we want, though. The Americans build camps just over the border, smug behind their sandbags and guard towers. But they are over-confident. One lone VC crawled on his belt buckle for an hour and a half, right up to the walls of their base, carrying only his Kalashnikov. As he prepared to slip over the wall, a GI heading to the latrine stumbled across him – my Comrade quickly dispatched him, and surprise gone, charged the base with the fervour of a true Communist. The Americans scattered like bugs in the daylight and with no time to reload my comrade charged in, bayonet at the fore. But the Americans gathered their scattered wits quickly and my comrade was outgunned and died swiftly. No matter. The Americans know now that they are never safe. Stung, they began moving across the border in bigger numbers, their pride leading them to the fall. But we are one with the country. Our eyes are everywhere. The local villagers tell us of the American movements. A young man, travelling to fetch water on his bicycle, spotted an entire platoon of Americans moving down a track, just inside Cambodia. He wheeled in a circle and hastened back to a group of our fighters who were transporting munitions. The fighters hid, the Americans walked straight past and the crate of ammunition continued its journey to join our brothers and sisters fighting in Vietnam. Meanwhile, the young villager stopped and waited for the Americans to catch up, feigning a puncture in his tyres and was joined by another of our watchers. The Americans forced them to their knees and searched them brutally. Finding nothing they forced them into a tin shack, leaving them to boil in the midday sun as they scratched their hairy faces and tried to decide what to do. But our comrades made the decision for them! Having circled back from delivering their supplies, they crept up on the Americans and showed them the true anger of our people. The Americans fought back, leaving the captured villagers unattended – and they, seizing the moment, slipped away into the jungle – pausing only to steal a stash of medical equipment the GIs had left at a rally point. As they made their escape, our troops faded into the jungle, leaving only the sounds of wounded Americans to break the silence under the trees. But we cannot always stop them. Later that day, the American’s came in force. They located one of our bases and charged forwards, trusting to their numbers to break our will and
crush us. Though they eventually made it into our base, we made them pay in blood for every inch of the way. Our machine guns mowed them down and we sprang from hidden spider holes and camouflage nets to sting them in their flanks. The looks of terror on their faces as we appeared as if from nowhere will live with us forever! But now they trust no one. Innocent villagers, carrying nothing more than bread and biscuits, have been found with their throats cut. But eventually they forced us back, leaving us to regroup and watch as they searched our hooches. They found only one crate of supplies, which they destroyed. That made two they captured from this consignment – but only one remains undelivered. That crate was right under their noses but they didn’t realise. Earlier in the day, the Yankees had fallen back to their base to eat and rest – we needed no such respite, strong in our devotion to Uncle
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event report GUNMAN ‘NAM
GUNMAN INTERNATIONAL AIRSOFT GUNMAN MIDLANDS TEL: 01676 532384 WWW.SUSPENSIONOFDISBELIEF. CO.UK GUNMAN AIRSOFT TEL: 07854 277264 WWW.GUNMANAIRSOFT.CO.UK
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Ho and had gathered all the remaining crates and moved them to the border whilst the Americans gorged themselves. One crate remained cached just inside Vietnam but when returning to fetch it we discovered that the Americans had returned and had set up a position right on top of it. But, foolish as they are, they had not noticed the ammunition. We will return for that another day. But now I am lying here, waiting. My eyes are closing in the warmth of the sun. I remember another ambush in this spot – I had fallen asleep and the Americans had closed in on us before I knew it – I was only awoken by the sounds of gunfire as my comrades spring the trap. Startled, I had sat bolt upright, only to realise that I was surrounded by Yankees. I have no shame that I
flung myself down again and hid. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here now. And this day will be the end of the Americans. Emboldened by their success, they have come in force again – but they do not know that we have been joined by soldiers of the People’s Army of North Vietnam. They arrived in the night and have brought a surprise – RPGs. I do not sleep this time. I watch the Americans arrive, a long parade of targets spread out in the treeline opposite us. We are hidden in a clearing, watching them. Slowly, like a water buffalo stretching, the Americans move. They walk out into the opening and at a signal, the PAVN unleash hell! Rockets soar across the sky and burst above the heads of the Americans. They scatter and dive for cover and already the first Yankee blood is pouring into the ground. They scurry like ants, trying to recover a formation and get their wounded to their doctors whose arms are already red to the elbows and who are putting the first of their dead into bags. The try and come forward again and for a moment it seems that they might push us back – but that is not to be. Our leader, a political officer from the north, blows his whistle and we spring from concealment! Charging forwards, firing from the hips we rush towards them. The Americans hold their ground and their bravery must be noted – but the invader will never prevail! Their leaders count their wounded and note the holes appearing in their line. The officers tally the odds and realise the day is not theirs – and they call the retreat. Along the line, Yankees gather up their comrades and retreat to their waiting vehicles. The dead and wounded are loaded and the trucks roar back in the direction they came. The surviving Americans seem poised to return to the fight but sense seems to prevail and they begin to fall back along the trail of blood laid out by the convoy of their wounded. We are victorious – but we will not let them leave without felling as many as we can! So, with a mighty roar and the blast of our officer’s whistles, we charge forward again and chase them back – for we are strong and we will be victorious. We will push them from our land. As we charge we scream as one our battle-cry. “For Uncle Ho and the People of Vietnam!
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SOVIET AIRBORNE SOLDIER 1970S SPEARHEADING THE RED ARMY’S ADVANCES AS A COUP DE MAIN FORCE, SOVIET PARATROOPERS WERE THE FIRST INTO ACTION IN BOTH THE 1968S INVASION OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA AND THE 1979 INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN. 68
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feature COLD WAR WARRIORS
WHILE BEING FEARED ACROSS NATO during the years of the Cold War, Soviet Airborne forces first came to the world’s attention in the years leading up to WWII. In the 1930s the Russians pioneered paratrooper techniques. Early Russian paratroopers even used converted bombers to deliver them to the drop zones – after climbing out of the fuselage and sliding down the wings before jumping - and proved to the world that an airborne combat landing was both possible and powerful! During WWII the Soviet armed forces did not have the means or opportunity to commit their airborne troops in an airborne role and instead they fought as elite infantry but the Russians learned much from German “first strike” paratrooper operations in the Low Countries and also from the allied mass paradrops during D-Day and Market Garden. It would be, however, the post-war world that would see the Soviet “Airborne Assault Force” grow to become a truly fearsome beast. Unlike NATO armies, the Soviets saw the airborne forces as not merely a paratroop formation but a full spectrum “air landing/ air assault” arm of service. The Vozdushno-desantnye voyska (literally: Air Landing Forces) or VDV, encompassed traditional parachute drops, assault troops landed by transport aircraft and were quick to see the battlefield potential of the helicopter assault force. By the 1960s the VDV had expanded to be the largest airborne force in the world, dwarfing comparable NATO formations and trained to drop behind NATO lines in a future European war to disable rear area supply dumps, threaten lines of communication and seize vital bridges ahead of the tank armies. Unlike NATO formations that were often equipped with nothing heavier than jeeps and recoilless rifles the VDV dropped into action with their own armoured support – both on land and in the air!
AIRBORNE ARMOUR Notable among VDV equipment was the BMD Airborne Armoured Personnel Carrier. Essentially an airborne equivalent of the tried and tested BMP1 AFV, the BMD could carry a squad of six troops, protect them with its light armour and support them with its low pressure 73mm gun and anti-tank guided missiles; to aid air transport the BMD could hydraulically lower its running gear allowing it to take up very little space. Should the VDV come up against heavy opposition then the ASU 57 and ASU 85 air portable self-propelled guns were expected to provide armoured support until the units of main battle tanks could join the fray. While in themselves lightly armoured by “armoured standards”, it is important to note that these vehicles had no equivalent in NATO service and would be deployed in such huge numbers as to give most Nation’s regular armed forces a serious thorn in their side! Perhaps most daunting of all for the enemies of the VDV and particularly for their Mujahidin opponents in Afghanistan, was the powerful HIND series of helicopter gunships. Each Mi24 Gunship (given the NATO nickname “Hind”) was able to carry a fully equipped squad of infantry in an airframe armoured to stand up to 12.7mm (or .50cal to the US) anti-aircraft fire. Not only was the Mi24 protected by durable armour but it was capable of fighting back on its own terms. Equipped with a chin turret sporting a fourbarrelled 12.7mm cannon and weapon pylons on stubby “wings” that could mount everything from rockets and bombs through to additional machine gun pods. The BMD, ASU and Mi24 were just a few of the offensive assets available to the VDV, unlike other airborne forces who would have to rely on any significant artillery or air support from other arms of service – the VDV provided its own.
POST-WAR LESSONS WELL LEARNT Our Cold War Warrior this month represents a typical air assault trooper during the 1970s. His uniform and equipment would certainly have been seen during the 1968 invasion of Prague (to prevent the Czechoslovakian government deviating from Moscow’s version of Communism) and is highly likely to have been worn by units undertaking the initial assaults on targets in Kabul in 1979. Like most armies of WWII, the Soviets had decided that in order to keep all of a soldier’s equipment in one place while hurtling towards the ground, some sort of over smock was required and here our paratrooper wears the 1959 pattern VDV
jump suit. Unlike the UK who used a smock with a crotch flap and early German designs which were like overalls with the legs cut short, the Russians adopted a one piece olive green jump suit for their airborne forces. Initially made in an olive shade these quickly faded to a brown shade, especially in the arid climes of Afghanistan. One piece overall had fallen out of favour in many other armies (the UK and US especially) as digestive problems are common to soldiers on campaign and a jump suit can be tricky to get out of in time. The Russians remedied this by creating a large button up flap on the seat of the suit (similar to that seen on KLMK camouflage suits) allowing a soldier to easily answer the call of nature without removing the suit. The suit itself had elasticated cuffs and button closure front and ankle fastenings, a single thigh pocket on the exterior was joined by a small internal chest pocket as equipment carriage was not the purpose of the suit. Intended to be worn over the standard airborne forces uniform (which varied over the years) the suit was (like the KLMK overalls) considered largely disposable once the soldier was on the ground but there are several pictures of the suit being worn in combat in Afghanistan (often with no uniform except the undershirt beneath) and it was also used for parades (in this case VDV arm shields and shoulder boards would be affixed). For parade use it was also common for nothing to be worn underneath except the trademark striped undershirt - the “telnyashka”. The telnyashka was initially a soviet navy garment (with dark blue stripes) but adopted by elite units after WWII (naval infantry, GRU spetsnaz and airborne) with the airborne forces adopting a sky blue and white stripe. The shirt could be either heavyweight and long-sleeved for winter use or, as here, the sleeveless summer version. Soviet Airborne troops take as much pride in the telnyashka as they do in their sky blue berets and it is very much a trademark item of their elite status, so much so that in combat in Afghanistan many VDV soldiers could be seen wearing it openly despite how conspicuous it was. Like the “red beret” of Britain’s paras, the telnyashka marked the VDV man out as an airborne warrior. Completing our soldier’s uniform are his calf high leather boots and his padded jump helmet. The boots are traditionally Russian in style and date back to Tsarist days. While in WWII the Soviets adopted the low laced ankle boot for many units (millions supplied by the UK during WWII), they continued to also issue the “jackboot” side by side. While iconic and comfy when worn in well, the jackboot was outdated by the 1970s with the Russians www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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feature COLD WAR WARRIORS
and the East German being among the few armies to retain it. Unlike western armies where socks are often worn with most footwear, many soviet units still persevered with cloth foot wraps known as “portyanki”. Considered more effective and comfier than socks by many Soviet soldiers the footwrap only began to be phased out of Russian army use in the 2000s! Protecting his head during and after the parachute jump, our VDV man wears a padded cloth jump helmet. This early model is similar to that worn by WWII-era pilots and would later be replaced with a model similar to soviet tank crew helmets, with padded raised protective bars. This model is only lightly padded and covers the ears and restricting hearing but with the advantage that it can be worn under a steel helmet. Fighting equipment is the venerable RD54 airborne forces webbing set. A composite backpack and pouches this webbing was fitted onto a standard field belt (a steel and webbing “work belt” is worn here) and in its most basic form could carry two AK magazines, two grenades and an entrenching tool to the front with the small “daysack” at the back carrying rations and field equipment. A bayonet for his AK47s assault rifles is hung from the belt and many soldiers supplemented the carrying capacity of the RD54 by adding items of normal webbing such as the additional “three cell” AK magazine pouch and water bottle seen here.
PURPOSE-BUILT AIRBORNE KIT Finally, our soldier’s firepower is provided by the folding stock AK47s assault rifle (although by the 1970s he would more probably have carried the improved and lighter AKMS), a weapon purpose built for the paratrooper, being compact and able to be dropped strapped to the soldier. As with all Soviet Cold War Warrior impressions, the 1970s VDV paratrooper loadout is surprisingly cheap. While some may baulk at paying £30 to £50 for an RD54 or £30 for a jumpsuit, others will happily spend that amount on a modern molle camelback pouch. Sourcing the items is another matter and the Soviet inspired airsofter would do well to frequent “Russian themed” forums to find out the best deals in ordering from abroad as few UK stockists hold this practical (and oddly comfy) kit. So kit yourself out in the best the CCCP could offer its cold war elite and hit the skirmish field with a cry of URRAH, URRAH, URRAH!
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INTERNATIONAL AIRSOFT AUSTRALIA
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THE AUSTRALIAN AIRSOFT COUNCIL WHILE ON HOLIDAY IN AUSTRALIA, IGGY ROBERTS COULDN’T RESIST TRYING TO FIND A GOOD GAME OF AIRSOFT AND CAME UPON AN INSURMOUNTABLE PROBLEM... WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE NITTY GRITTY of my social life, I will say I am married to an Aussie young woman and on one of our regular visits to see the family down under, I thought what a fantastic country it would be for airsoft. So I decided to search for some skirmish sites to satisfy my itchy trigger finger. We often visit the country for over three weeks due to the cost and long flight time, so you can only imagine my need to get out into the airsoft skirmish field. To my horror I found out there are no airsoft sites - let alone RIFs in Australia at all. In fact the sport is illegal. It hasn’t always been that way though. The banning of airsoft came at a time when it was barely heard of as a sport in Australia and took effect under the 1996 National Firearms Agreement, after the Port Arthur massacre. The ban is still in place today but comes under “appearance” laws; Airsoft guns are classed as a firearm in Australia because if it looks like a military assault rifle, or its action replicates semi or full auto, it is classed as such. Also, you must have a “genuine reason” to own a firearm. There is hope however… Well more than just hope alone. There is a recognised council that go by the name of the Australian Airsoft Council (AAC). The AAC was started by Robert Richardson in 2009 after playing the sport for himself overseas. He believed that Airsoft was a sensational, safe sport and set about changing the law in Australia so that everyone could enjoy it. He found like-minded individuals that wanted to help and this formed the earliest beginnings of the AAC. Not everyone in the AAC has played airsoft but that’s not to say that they aren’t passionate about it. Some like the idea of a viable alternative to paintball, whilst others believe that it should be available on principle. The AAC is currently represented in 5 states of Australia: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia are all Incorporated Associations. These groups seek state members and hold occasional functions such as BBQ’s to get the group together and socialise. Members of the AAC can still airsoft from time to time, in New Zealand, as a full AAC member is eligible to be a “veteran” member of MAG (Military Adventure Group), which is an airsoft
organisation based in New Zealand. Through an agreement between AAC and MAG, AAC members that become veteran members of MAG can order and keep their airsoft guns in New Zealand and all their equipment is kept in a MAG armoury for use when they visit. Think about that for a moment. I have heard players complaining that they have to leave their RIF at the local site, as they are not yet UKARA members. In order to play, these guys have to leave their guns in a totally different Country! Since its inception, the AAC has come a long way. They are nearing 10,000 likes on Facebook and have grown over time, including even international members, of which I have joined the ranks. The AAC have official paid members and are in talks with Government to release the stranglehold on airsoft.
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In previous years it was mainly writing to politicians to try and gauge as to why airsoft was beyond their reach. After receiving many generic replies, the AAC has realised that it takes meetings and direct action with politicians to get anywhere. Currently a copy of the AAC’s proposal is in the hands of the South Australian Government. They hope to engage with them further and develop a plan that suits both the players and the Government. If anyone wants to help, you can join the AAC page on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/airsoft.council Also available are AAC T-shirts and all money raised goes towards airsoft in Australia. The AAC have quite a bit of worldwide support but more is always welcome. It’s a long, hard fight, but they’re getting there and, let’s face it, who wouldn’t love an airsoft holiday in Australia!
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A-TACS AU FOR AUTUMN AND WINTER WITH NIGHTS DRAWING IN AND SUMMER OFFICIALLY AT AN END, JERRY NOONE TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO THE “COOLER” SEASONS. PICTURES: NETEE IN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE I TOOK A LOOK at A-TACS FG from Digital Concealment Systems in the USA and went into some detail about how the patterns offered by them came to be, the theory behind them and how they have developed forward. I’m not going to delve into that again but rather look at two loadouts for the Autumn and Winter using their AU or “arid” pattern. A-TACS AU was the first pattern to be offered up to a somewhat sceptical tactical market by DCS and was really designed for dusty, desert environments; although not officially adopted, numerous pictures from “over there” have bounced around the internet showing that AU has been used very effectively by several special operations units and especially by sniper teams. It has proved to be “the right pattern for the right moment” in many ways. I’m pleased to say that I’ve followed the rollout of A-TACS AU from the very start and have slowly but surely built up a couple of different loadouts based on its unique design. It does perform exceptionally well in its intended environment but I’ve also found that when it comes to Autumn and Winter in the UK, it also has a great application for this time of year. Where I play in the South the undergrowth, grasses, and brackens all “brown out” to mottled hues of tan and brown as the temperature starts to drop and AU has proved to work very well when this happens. Going even further into the full Winter months, things are still quite brown and when the snow falls (just gear up and get out there!) the light background colour used in AU still helps to keep you concealed, especially at the start of the end of the day when the light is flat. All that said, there’s also another reason why I choose AU for my Autumn/Winter pattern and that’s down to the fact that my good mates at Snugpak have chosen to offer a full range of their performance clothing and sleeping gear in it. Which leads me onto the question of wearing the right kit to deal with whatever the weather may throw at us, on any given skirmish day. To me it’s really a matter of looking at my role within the game; my choice of role will really dictate which way I go with my kit
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Kit LOADED OR UNLOADED
for the day as a Sunday run-out will need one set, whilst a full weekender will mean that you need to stay more flexible in your choices. What do I mean by this? Well, if you are going to be mostly static in a forward observation post then you’ll need to stay well insulated. If however, you’re going to be involved in a little light “door kicking” then things are going to be a whole lot more dynamic and you’ll heat up fast! From a purely physiological perspective your clothing, accessories and footwear choices will be ruled by your activity levels. If you are going to be static for long periods of time, especially on “stag” overnight in the Winter months, then your body is going to be mostly dormant and keeping your crucial body core temperature balanced is going to call for a serious level of insulation and protection. If however you’re going to be hooning around like a regular tactical banshee, then you need to dump body heat fast and deal with moisture transfer effectively. It’s all a bit of a balancing act when it comes down to it; too cold and you risk hypothermia, too hot and you can fall foul of heat exhaustion even on the coldest day of the year. All too often at Autumn and Winter games I’ve see guys going down due to even the mildest levels of exposure to the elements. I’ve even been to games where the Site Op has (rightly) had to call it a day early as folk were obviously suffering; blue lips, shivers, the whole thing and all down to lack of preparation. I’ve said this before and I’ll always come back to it, prepare well, play hard and fair and both your fellow players and any Site Operator will thank you for it. Don’t be the one that brings a good game to a halt because you forgot to pack a warm jacket or well maintained waterproof!
RECCE As always I’ll break the two loadouts for this month down into two parts and given the fact that we’re going to be dealing with cold, probably wet weather, this actually makes even more sense. For the first “Recce” loadout I’m going to look at dealing with the static position, where you’re going to be on obs or in a fixed defensive situation. The first thing you will need in the Autumn and Winter months is a bigger pack because you’re going to need to haul extra water and rations, along with more clothing layers and a winter weight sleeping and bivvy bag if you’re going to be overnighting. Now it would be lovely to have different sized packs in all the different camouflage patterns you might own but the fact of the matter is that this is one area where “buying right and buying once” really comes into play. I tend to buy my packs mostly in Coyote Tan as this goes with a multitude of different patterns but if I’m looking to meld them into a specific camo theme, then I’ll take the pack cover route. I really like the 5:11 Tactical RUSH packs; the 72 is perfect for a Winter hauler and luckily, 0241 Tactical in the USA make some great adjustable pack covers in A-TACS AU (along with many other patterns) which not only add to my overall scheme but also add some additional weather-proofing. I’ll come back to 0241 later but you can find their gear at Tactical Kit in the UK. My base uniform for the “Recce” loadout is a simple BDU set from Propper International, worn in this instance with a base layer “2nd
Skinz” Shirt and Long John set from Snugpak underneath. The “2nd Skinz” have been designed specifically for use in high energy pursuits and the Coolmax element in the fabric really helps to let you keep your core temperature stable; in the cold they trap air which adds as an insulator and when you warm up the tiny fibres in the structure actively “wick” moisture away from your skin, allowing it to be transferred out of your clothing system and adding to the natural cooling effect of evaporation. The “2nd Skinz” are a comfortable, relaxed fit and feel great against your skin, but they’re low profile enough not to bunch or inhibit movement when you’re wearing multiple layers over them. You can achieve your insulation and protection from the elements in two very distinct ways; usually I would always champion a layered approach as this is superbly versatile but in this instance I’m going to just use a couple of pieces from the Snugpak range of lofted garments. The Sleeka jacket, which many of you will know of or already own and love (as do I) uses Snugpak’s very own Softie Premier synthetic insulation along with a Paratex Light shell fabric which shrugs off all but the heaviest rainfall; a synthetic fill in my mind is better than down as it retains a much larger proportion of its insulative properties even when wet. Down just clumps up, stays wet for a long time and loses its warmth quickly, so avoid it unless you’re going to be indoors or in full on whiteout conditions! In my pack I’ll also carry a pair of the matching Snugpak Sleeka salopettes, also in AU, which are really the ultimate in “snivel gear” but so worth their weight! Even in size XL they only come in at 840g and pack down small into their own stuff sack; believe me, if you’re on “stag” at zero dark thirty you’re really going to appreciate carrying these. If you REALLY feel the cold then check out the hooded SJ9 jacket as this is the “flagship” of Snugpak’s insulated tactical range; add this to the salopettes instead of the Sleeka and you’re not going to get cold any time soon! For footwear here I’ve chosen a pair of MOD Brown, Gore Tex lined High Liability boots from HAIX married up with some Smartwool socks. HAIX are a manufacturer not so well known in the UK but they have a long and rich heritage in making footwear for the police, military, and other professional users and the High Liability model is great for the wet weather months. It’s sturdy, supportive, high in the ankle and most importantly for the UK, it’s a fully waterproof model (reviewed by the Ed back in the August issue). In relation to accessories I’m going to come back again to 0241 Tactical, as their fleece neck gaiter is perfect and their fleece watch cap works very well over an AU ballcap to give great insulation. Gloves are doubled up with a micro thin pair of “Thinnies” from outdoor brand Extremities (you’ll find these in all good outdoor stores) under a pair of Oakley SI outers; for the Winter I have a pair of the Oakleys one size up from my usual to accommodate the extra layer when needed. I’ve also thrown in a pair of standalone ALTA kneepads which can be worn over the trousers or even over the salopettes if needed. As this loadout is really for around base or on a static position I’m going to have my pack with me all the time so gear here is a very simple Coyote Tan belt kit to carry my secondary, a first aid kit, a few snacks and a couple of spare magazines for my MC51.
DIRECT ACTION! Direct Action is all about moving fast, and even in full Winter conditions carrying a combat load is really going to get your pulse racing and have you heating up fast! It could be argued that dealing effectively with moisture management in your clothing system is even more important during cold weather as if your clothing is wet when you stop moving and your activity levels drop, you are going to chill down extremely fast. I usually tend in this scenario to look for clothing that is going to perform to the maximum and sadly this doesn’t come cheap. Once again I’ve gone for a base layer set to start things off but this time it’s from the Under Armour “Heatgear” line; “Heatgear” is especially
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size XL but it adds an extra thermal boost to your setup. Both garments are available in multiple colours and patterns should AU not be your thing and neither are going to break the bank! “Buying once and buying wisely” really comes into play with the load bearing gear I’ve chosen for the loadout. I’ve long been a fan of the US brand Tactical Assault Gear (TAG) which was set up by prior service USN SEAL, Chris Osman. TAG were one of the first “nylon gear” companies to take up the radical new AU pattern so they’ve got lots of experience working with the fabrics. Their gear has ALWAYS been really top notch and the combination of a Phalanx Chest Rig and Combat Sustainment Pack gives me more than enough space to carry both a fighting load for my HK416 and a sustainment/survival load comfortably. All I’ve added to this is a simple belt setup to carry my sidearm, a dump pouch, and a Vehicle Safety Leash from FLYYE. If you do want to “up armour” this loadout then Condor offer a full range of excellent nylon gear at sensible prices which is widely available. I’ve taken one of the new VIPER “FAST” helmet replicas in Tan and given it a fast and dirty “scrim net/lizard skin” spray with some of the excellent Halfords specialist camo paints. It’s a well-priced replica and ideal for airsoft use giving good protection, especially when worn with a comms headset.
designed to transport moisture away from your skin ultra-fast and it’s thin and light which means it’s comfortable to wear under over layers. On top of this I have some “CRYE” style combat pants with integrated kneepads and a superb Gen 1 UBAX shirt from Applied Orange in the Netherlands. I’ve been working with the great team at AO for some considerable time now and suffice to say this superb combat shirt is actually now in its 3rd Generation. It is not the cheapest bit of kit in the world but it uses the latest, best fabrics and construction techniques available and in my opinion is one of the very best examples of this type of garment that’s on the market right now. Suffice to say that if you invest in any gear from Applied Orange you will be spending your money VERY wisely!
As a basic clothing setup this works extremely well but given the time of year I intend to use it I’m going to need a little extra to see me through, so it’s back to the Snugpak range where two garments really stand out. What I’m looking for is basic protection from wind, rain, sleet, and even snow but I still want to maintain maximum performance and breathability. Snugpak have taken their Paratex fabric and created a “Micro” version in their Vapour Active Wind Top, creating a minimalist garment weighing just 260g in size XL that is perfect for this role; when not needed it scrunches down to about the size of a ciggy packet and can easily be stored in a pouch or cargo pocket. I have one that is slightly oversized as I can just throw it on over all my kit if needed and there’s even a rollaway hood should things turn really foul. The other garment really worthy of consideration for your “DA” loadout ups the ante slightly and is ideal if you really feel the cold. The Vapour Active Soft Shell takes the Wind Top and adds a TS1 Thermal Suede Lining. It still stays protective and minimalist, weighing 440g in
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Something you may wish to consider for the Winter months is a set of full seal goggles, especially if you’re going to be working from vehicles; these will keep dust and the elements out of your eyes but please ensure that you buy a pair with a proper ballistic rating, preferably from your local airsoft store! To these I’ve added an AU Goggle Cover from 0241 Tactical and to complete my headgear a lightweight jersey Neck Gaiter. A minimalist beanie hat is also good to stuff into a pouch or pocket for when the lid comes off and a Coyote Tan watch cap from Outdoor Research Tactical (ORT) fits this bill nicely. To round out the loadout I’ve again gone to ORT for gloves, choosing the lightweight “Ironsight” model which fit snugly and give high levels of protection. In relation to footwear I’ve gone down the “tactical athlete” route with a pair of the excellent, super lightweight yet supportive “Valsetz” tactical boots from Under Armour; I originally got these in the new “Timber” camouflage pattern as all parts other than the fabric were very, very close to MOD brown. A little effort with some fabric dye and brown polish gave these a great overall look and also added to the waterproofness as these are unlined. Unlined? For the Winter?? Again, I wanted maximum breathablity and performance and combining these boots with a pair of SIBEX Winter Socks from Applied Orange gives a winning formula.
A COMPLETE PACKAGE In reality these two loadouts have taken a while to pull together; rather than rushing at the “latest and greatest” I’ve spent an extended period researching exactly what I need and what I want it to do. With the exception of the boots and the TAG gear all of the items that I’ve featured this month are easily available and are not going to cost you the earth, whether you decide to follow the A-TACS route or go for another pattern of your choice. If you’re marshalling then look further into the Snugpak range as their superb SJ6 and SJ9 insulated hooded
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GEAR LIST AND WHERE TO GET IT jackets are the “bees knees” and will keep you toasty warm as you survey the action! The last word this time however is going to be about maintenance. Once again, spend some time and really research what is out there to help you keep your kit performing to the optimum standard. Grangers and Nikwax both have a superb range of maintenance products so you can keep both waterproofness and breathability up to their very highest levels and all of their treatments, whether it be for boots, gloves, fleeces, soft shells, insulated garments, or hard shells, can be carried out easily and swiftly at home. Be the “prepared player”; choose your kit carefully and maintain it well. If you do this you’ll be able to stay comfortable in the most extreme conditions and even on the grimmest of Winter days be an absolute asset to your fellow players, your team, or any Site you are a member of.
www.a-tacs.com For all the information on the A-TACS family of camo patterns visit DCS’ own website for regular updates on their manufacturing partner and some GREAT videos! www.snugpak.com Visit the Snugpak website to get the full low down on all the great gear featured in this article. Not only can you check out the very latest developments in their clothing range, but you’ll also be able to look through their superb sleeping systems. www.511tactical.com To view the enormous range of clothing, footwear, and gear available from this premier tactical manufacturer. You can also find stockist details there too. www.tactical-kit.co.uk Visit Tactical Kits easy to navigate website for the very latest from 0241 Tactical, Oakley, and all the top tactical brands. www.tacticalgear.com/propper Have a look at the US website of military clothing, footwear, and gear giant Propper to see the vast range of what they have on offer along with stockist details. You’ll also find a really good range of Propper A-TACS gear at www.grangeairsoft.com www.patrolstore.com If you’d like to learn more about the HAIX boots featured here, along with other models in their extensive range please take a look at what Patrol Store offer! www.appliedorange.com AO have a really great website fully explaining all the technologies they work with, and their overall ethos for design, performance, and practicality. There’s also a direct link to their webstore so you can easily see what’s new and in stock. www.tacticalassaultgear.com Be prepared to have a SERIOUS drool when you visit the TAG website as I defy you not to want at least one bit of “Gucci” kit you see there! There are also links to stockist details worldwide. www.viperkit.co.uk VIPER produce an extensive range of clothing, accessories, nylon gear and footwear at very reasonable prices. If you need anything you’ll probably find both it, and where to buy, on their website. www.military.outdoorreasearch.com Best known for their performance outdoor pursuits gear there’s a part of the OR website that’s entirely devoted to their tactical range. Sadly (come on UK retailers!!!) you’ll need to buy direct from them at the moment as there is no UK distributor! www.top-of-the-range.co.uk To check out the full range of Tactical Under Armour products please visit UK distributor TOTR; you’ll also be able to view the other great brands they offer, as well as find stockist details for the UK. www.condoroutdoor.com I mentioned Condor if you need to “up armour” your A-TACS loadout and a visit to their international website will show you just how much they have to offer. If you want to buy in the UK I’d suggest either www.proairsoftsupplies.co.uk or www.military1st.co.uk www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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WINGS AND WHEELS 10TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW RATTY MAKES A WELCOME RETURN WITH A REPORT FROM ONE OF THE UK’S LESSER-KNOWN SUMMER SHOWS. AFTER A PROLONGED ABSENCE OF WRITING, my apologies; I have had a busy season gathering stuff for this, that and other upcoming articles but as they say, quality over quantity, best stuff worth waiting for etc. etc… Over the August Bank Holiday weekend I packed up “Clan McRatty” and we headed off to perhaps one of the lesser-known shows that happen over the summer season; “Wings and Wheels” which takes place at Dunsfold Aerodrome. As the title suggests this is more than just an airshow, with a car show, military vehicles and a whole host of other side events to boot. Let’s face it, we all like guns and I’m pretty sure that those same red blood cells mean we like warplanes, fast cars, motorbikes and the like. Well they are to be found at Wings and Wheels, so there really is something for everyone. This year was a special year on quite a few fronts. First off, it was Wings and Wheels 10th Anniversary, which in itself meant that it was going to be a special weekend. Most of you will be aware that the Lancaster from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum “VERA” has been flying alongside the British Lancaster “THUMPER” from Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. This year is the 1st time that two Lancs have flown together in some 50 years. It is also the 70th Anniversary of the Normandy Landings as well as the centenary of the start of the Great War, when aircraft were 1st used in anger and air forces began. Add to that the only airworthy Vulcan would be flying on both the Saturday and Sunday, then you have all the makings of a great show.
Dunsfold Aerodrome I should think that nearly all of you reading this will be familiar with Dunsfold Aerodrome. It has for some years now been the home of “Top Gear” and we have seen the team, celebrities and not forgetting the Stig hurtling around their course in all manner of vehicles. That said, Dunsfold Aerodrome has a very varied and interesting past itself. Originally built in 1942 as an emergency airfield it was soon handed over the Royal Canadian Air Force. Between 1942 and 1945 a variety of aircraft operated from
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“This was the first time that two Lancasters have flown together for some 50 years and the sight and sounds of these two fantastic aircraft, along with the Spitfire and Hurricane made everyone there emotional”
Dunsfold, including B-25 Mitchell bombers, Typhoons, Mustangs, Mosquitoes and of course, Spitfires. After the war it became a repatriation centre for returning PoWs. In late 1946 the Aerodrome was declared inactive but in 1948 Skyways Ltd leased the airfield and they were heavily involved in the Berlin Airlift. Afterwards they used Dunsfold as a base to refurbish, test fly and deliver Spitfires and Hurricanes that were purchased by the Portuguese Air Force. In 1950 the Hawker Aircraft Company Ltd (who later became part of BAE Systems) took over the lease on the Airfield. They used it as a flight test centre for projects (including the Harrier Jump jet) as well as upgrades and refurbs on other models including Sea Hawks, Hunters and Gnats. In 1953, test pilot Neville Duke broke the world speed record (and the sound barrier) flying a prototype Hunter MK3 at 727.63mph from Dunsfold. In 1960 the forerunner of the Harrier made its first tethered flight and its full flight later that year. Right up until 2000, when BAE ceased activity at Dunsfold, every type and derivative of the Harrier evolved from here. In 2002, Dunsfold Park Ltd acquired Dunsfold from BAE and since then it has become home to over 100 business and is still designated as an unlicensed airfield. It has also been the backdrop in some Hollywood blockbuster films and TV series including Casino Royale, The Da Vinci Code, World War Z, Spooks and even Eastenders!! Last year Dunsfold Park entered into a new partnership with Trinity College, Cambridge and together will develop a long term future for the Aerodrome. We set off early doors on the Saturday morning to make the 1 ½ hour trip to Dunsfold. Having been to this show last year and “Wheels Day” earlier this year, I was fully prepared for the long queue into the site. However, to my surprise, apart from the last mile or so we were straight in and (unusually for us) ahead of schedule. Sunday was a different matter, we had stayed locally so there was far less distance to travel. It was 2 hours to get from Guildford to Dunsfold, some 12 miles away. That said, the show on the Sunday was a total sell out, the first time that has happened in the show’s 10 year history. Once on site, we were directed into a parking area where, after finishing off unloading the kids and associated items, we set off to join the entrance queue. You can purchase tickets on the day, but we had purchased our 2 day family pass online a week or so earlier. After passing through the entrance and purchasing an obligatory show brochure, it was off for an exploratory mooch to get our bearings. The show is well laid out and all the stands and displays are on one side of the runway, so you can either plant www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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yourself in good location, stay there for the duration watching the entire show or have a walk around, there is plenty to see and do in between the car and airshows themselves. Spilt into various zones for whatever you have the most interest in, the “Motoring Paddock”, “Wheels Zone” and “Stunt Zone” are all located together at one end of the show, with the “Wings Zone” and “Military Zone” located at the opposite end. In between there were many stands, including food areas and plenty of toilets blocks, a funfair for the kids along with plenty of vendors selling their wares.
Motoring Paddock As name of the show suggests, this is more than just a simple air show and let’s face it, most of us have at least a little petrol or Avgas running through our veins. Parked in here were the majority of the vehicles that would be doing runs down the runway. It was a right mix of stuff, from Caterham 7s and cars from the 30’s up to modern day Ferraris, Aston Martin and Porsches. For me, there was even a good selection of classic American Muscle cars and some Hot Rods too. It was good chance to not just look at the vehicles but to chat to the owners as well as watch them in either the morning or afternoon slots pushing them hard down the strip.
Wheels Zone This area was more like your regular car show with various clubs displaying a variety of their brand’s models from Classics to Modern day. Alongside these were an array of cars just privately owned and not affiliated to a club display. It never ceases to amaze me what people have tucked away in their garages. Again there were some fantastically restored and maintained classic vehicles lined up next to some stuff that you looked at and say to yourself “Why??” On display was a gorgeous Replica Porsche 356 Speedster parked next to an early 80’s Renault 20 automatic that looked like it had come straight from the showroom!
Stunt Zone Despite being a smallish zone by comparison, there were some rather fascinating displays that took place in this area. There were drifting demonstrations and even a hoverbike but the highlight was the Royal Signal’s “White Helmets” motorcycle display team.
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Military Zone Located at the opposite end of the show to the cars, this was a great place to be. There were plenty of vehicles and static displays as well as re-enactment groups who had set up some fantastic displays. There were a plethora of Jeeps, a couple of half-tracks and some oddball stuff, as well as more modern kit including a CVR(W) Fox and a rare FV432/30 (a 432APC fitted with a Fox turret, a predecessor to the Warrior). On the static side (although I use the word cautiously) was a display about the Land Army as well as 1940s radio where there were demonstrations of the dances of the day. You could even have lessons too!!
Wings Zone Sited next to the Military zone the Wings Zone had a bit of something for everyone. Some were static, others were taking part in the air show itself. Some you could clamber all over but many were there to be observed. Two of the most striking displays here were the Russian Mil Mi-24 Hind Attack helicopter, which was, unfortunately, just a static display and the ever popular Douglas DC-3 Dakota (also designated as the C-47 Skytrain) in its Normandy Landings colours, which is still a stunning bit of kit. There was also a VC-10 that you could have a walk around along with allocated tours of the well-known Boeing 747 that viewers of Top Gear would recognise instantly. That’s not all though, there was Super Puma and a Gnat parked up as well. Then, sat in the holding area were many others that were due to be flying including P51D mustang, Spitfire and a B25- Mitchell bomber.
The Show Throughout the course of the day there were smaller shows happening in the Military Zone and the Stunt Zone. However, the main features were happening on (and indeed over) the main runway! First thing on Saturday to get the show underway was a radio controlled aircraft display. From there it was a military vehicle parade, followed by the Wheels Zone parade, which was more of a “put your boot down” along the runway! The cars ran in six classes, with Class B being early cars from a 1907 Berliot-Curtiss, as well as the record breaking Napier-Railton from 1935. Group B was Jaguar and Porsche with stuff from old up to present day, there was even an XJ220 and a Carrera GT! Moving on there was a mix of AC Cobra’s and GT40s (both real and replicas), along with Caterhams and TVRs. Ferrari had their own class and there was a good turnout, including one of my personal favourites, the F40. There was a class for motorbikes and once again there was an fantastic mix of early bikes through to the glorious days of Triumph, Nortons and even had a Hesketh present all the way up to bang up to date examples from Ducatti, Suzuki, BMW and Yamaha. Lastly but by no means was a run of Delorean’s as well as other American Muscle Cars and Hot Rods. Following the cars was the main event, two separate air shows per day. There was a fair mix of the old and new, the morning show had different stuff to the afternoon and there were variations between the two days. Going back in time was the Great War Display Team. It is amazing to think that these planes were built mostly of wood and fabric, powered by sometimes unreliable engines and without the aid of aerodynamics. Seeing these having mock dog fights made us realise how brave those young airmen were, pioneering the whole art of aerial combat and how airplane technology, warplanes in particular, have evolved over the past 100 years. There were Spitfires and Hurricanes as you would expect but also the B-25 Mitchell bomber put on an impressive show too. The Dakota formation to celebrate the Normandy Landings was quite moving, with the DC-3 flanked by a Spitfire and a P51-D Mustang. More modern planes were well represented with a Canberra, Hunter, Jet Provost and the Gnats display team. There was also another throwback to the heady days of barnstorming with the Breitling Wing Walkers. Two biplanes with two athletic girls on the top who were undertaking various acts whilst the planes
themselves were carrying out an acrobatic displays. Unbelievable!!! On the Sunday the Red Arrows did a slot. It’s been many years since I last saw them but it was soon apparent that they are STILL top of their game! Then we were brought bang up to date with the Chinook. Their display was great and for those that haven’t seen a Chinook in action, really showed off the agility and versatility of this amazing flying container! The pilot was chucking it about this way and that, almost like he was driving a small sports car. The Apache AH-1 display was more scenario-based with contacts, broadcastable radio chatter and explosions upon engagements. The sight and sound of an Apache buzzing about still makes the hairs on my neck stand up even now! All of these were just some of what actually took part, there were many more, too much to write about here… However there were two main highlights on both days. Most likely the reasons why Sunday was such a sell out!! First off was the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, (Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster) this year with the added bonus of the only other airworthy Lancaster from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Trust, that was here for the summer. This was the first time that two Lancasters have flown together for some 50 years and the sight and sounds (8 x Rolls Royce Merlins!!) of these two fantastic aircraft, along with the Spitfire and Hurricane (another two Merlins) made everyone there emotional - a mix of pride and sadness at the sheer number (50%) of Bomber Command crews that never returned from their ops. Even the commentators stopped their usual babbling just to let the crowd soak up those sounds of this historic moment. Secondly was the Avro Vulcan. Owned and operated by Vulcan to the Sky Trust, this is the ONLY airworthy example in existence. This plane, designed, developed and built when we were still GREAT Britain is so iconic, having not only played a vital role throughout the cold war but also has its place in the history books for its raid on Port Stanley (Operation Black Bucket) when we stuck it to the Argies! XH558 entered service on 1st July 1960 and was the last Vulcan left in service, her final flight was on 23rd March 1993. I am hoping to be doing a full feature on the Vulcan at a later date so enough of the history part. For Mrs Ratty, myself and about 20,000 others whose eyes were fixated on this glorious Delta Wing aircraft, the word “magnificent” does not do it justice.
Final thoughts Growing up in the 70s and 80s, my family and I went to a fair few air shows, as well as some military shows and car shows too (my parents are nowhere near as bigger petrol heads as I am). These days the cost of going to three shows can be quite astronomical, so to have one show where there is a good mix of all three makes a great day out. There really is something for everybody. It was well organised, had a good family-friendly atmosphere and for the cost you would be hard to beat it. Even the food stands and other activities weren’t a fortune on site either. It has come a long way in its first 10 years and I am sure that it will continue to expand to be bigger and better than the previous year. All in, if you just do one show in a year, Wings and Wheels should be high up in your considerations.
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A SQUADRON OPERATION INTRADON
OPERATION INTRADON WITH JUST A FEW DAYS REMAINING UNTIL THEIR INAUGURAL EVENT TAKES PLACE, A SQUADRON’S MD, FAITH COWLING, GIVES US SOME BACKGROUND TO THE EVENT AND A FEW TIPS FOR FIRST-TIMERS. ON SUNDAY 9TH NOVEMBER 2014 we are very proud to be hosting our first ever airsoft event – OPERATION INTRADON. The day will take place at an urban site in the heart of England, at a yet to be disclosed location. We are privileged to be sponsored by RedWolf Airsoft UK who are partnering us in the venture and guiding us on our maiden outing. We also have H T Immersive Simulation writing the battle scenarios for us (responsible for the recent “Blue Fox” weekender) and we’ve heard some of what they have planned for us; it promises to be an exciting and actionpacked day. A Squadron managing director Faith Cowling comments; “Whilst we regularly train airsoft players in weapons handling and battle tactics we have yet to immerse ourselves as combatants in the airsoft arena, so we’re looking forward to what the day will hold.” Director Bob Podesta, the Training Wing’s chief instructor, adds “The day will give us valuable insight into the workings of airsoft and how we, as training providers, can better serve our customer base. But I’m also looking forward to going back into action and leading my team.” As an invitation-only event, attendees will all be connected to our Training Wing or associated partners in one way or another. Airsoft experience of participants will vary greatly from skirmishhardened veterans who have been playing for 20+ years, to complete novices who will be entering the fray for their first time. With this in mind (and as we ourselves fall into the latter category) we thought it would be beneficial to get some advice from the experts. Here we called upon our friends Gaz Perkins and Sam Fellows, names many of our readers will already be familiar with. Who better than regular players with over 30 years of airsofting experience between them to prepare us for the day. Their advice will also prove useful for any new player or anyone currently considering taking up the sport. Gaz and Sam have been involved with airsoft for 25 and 7 years respectively. Gaz first discovered the replica weapons in his local model shop, which went on to run a small gun club focused on target shooting. A woodland site developed, Gaz began skirmishing regularly and in 1997 Gaz’s team “258th Company”
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was born. Whilst Gaz does still skirmish from time to time he is now much more Mil-Sim (Military Simulation) orientated. Sam was introduced to the sport by a friend who took her along to her first game. She is now an integral member of 258th and again plays more Mil-Sim than anything else. If she does go to a skirmish it will tend to be as part of a team, mostly with fellow 258’ers. They describe Mil-Sim as “an immersive experience with structured game play and story lines”. There tends to be restrictions on ammo (limited rounds to add realism) and there will often be specific kit requirements and standardisation across each team. It can also be hard work physically. For anyone unsure of what they should be wearing for their first game Gaz recommends; “decent footwear that supports the ankles,
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a good pair of gloves such as Mechanix or Oakleys and the very best eye protection you can afford”. Gaz stresses that you can’t spend too much on protecting your vision and it will always be money well spent. Sam adds that you need “clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty and that are loose fitting and non-restrictive”. Weapons can be hired at most sites which means you can start playing straight away. When the time comes to take the plunge and invest in a weapon both Sam and Gaz recommend that you start off with some form of M4 (electric) but you don’t have to spend a lot. Gaz expands “You want a standard weapon and something that is easy to get parts for and reasonably cheap to add accessories to.” It can be daunting going into any established club for the first time but the duo reassuringly agree that, in general, airsoft is a very welcoming environment. Sam recommends that you “get involved and talk to people, it will make everyone more comfortable if you are open with them and ask questions. Players are always more than willing to show off their kit and it’s the quickest way for you to learn.” And ladies, don’t have any fears of going along and getting involved yourselves, Sam says she has never experienced any form of sexism. There are some very important “Dos and Don’ts” for a first time player and following this advice will help you integrate more easily. Gaz stresses, “Listen carefully to the safety brief and to the game brief. Whoever is delivering a brief isn’t doing it because they like the sound of their own voice. They are there to ensure everyone’s safety, which is paramount and to ensure that everyone understands and enjoys the skirmish or Mil-Sim scenario to the fullest.” Sam agrees that listening to the opening briefing is most important and while it’s good to ask questions leave them until after the briefing. The two biggest DO NOTS that Gaz gave without hesitation were “do not cheat” and “do not break the safety rules”. In the cheating category “not taking your hits and speaking when dead” top the list. Other (perhaps surprising) advice from the airsoft veteran was to “play for fun and not just to win”. Gaz asserts that if you only play to win there is a good chance that you won’t enjoy the game to the fullest. We of course, have the anticipated excitement of well-known 25-year SAS veteran Bob Podesta leading one of the teams in our forthcoming game. So we wanted to know what Bob could look forward to. Sam said “I’ve played with guys who have served. There’s a big cross-over between what they have done for real and our Mil-Sim games. The guys really get into it and you can even see that they are
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starting to replay their own experiences in their heads. Sometimes I’ve just had to stop and check they are OK.” Gaz expands further “It does depend on the event but from my experience of playing and working with ex-soldiers and SF personnel, is that they enjoy airsoft Mil-Sim as they get to do all the more, shall we say, enjoyable parts of the job but without the risk. They’ve told me that the surge of adrenaline is the same. There is also the team element and camaraderie that they are familiar with and appreciate. I’ve found particularly with the ex-SF guys that they approach the game play as they would in real life. They are cautious but aggressive and they don’t make silly moves. They would use a wall rather than a flimsy glass door for cover. That makes things very interesting and of course all adds to the realism.” Gaz added, “Bob it’s your choice if you want to shine your shoes!” We’d like to thank Sam and Gaz for their time and really valuable advice which we will take with us into INTRADON. If you are looking into purchasing an airsoft weapon or any related equipment then we recommend that you contact RedWolf Airsoft UK on 01684 273 070 and speak with Gaz or Sam who will be happy to help. You can also visit the RedWolf retail shop at Unit C1, Northway Trading Estate, Tewkesbury, GL20 8JH. At the time of writing it’s hard to believe that our next column will be published during the Christmas build-up. As a festive treat we would like to get our readers involved and open the floor to you to send in your questions for Bob. Questions can be airsoft or army related, serious or silly, general or festive. The more creative or interesting your questions are, the better. Send them in to us by email to trainingwing@a-sqn.com with ASK BOB in the subject line.
Or you PM us via our Facebook page www.facebook.com/asquadon Until next time this is ‘A’ Squadron signing out.
The two biggest DO NOTS that Gaz gave without hesitation were “do not cheat” and “do not break the safety rules”. In the cheating category “not taking your hits and speaking when dead” top the list.” ‘A’ Squadron are available for private, individual and group bookings. Our next public training days are: Saturday 1st November 2014 – Navigation : Map & Compass Saturday 22nd November 2014 – SF Patrolling Skills For more information or to book your place please contact us by email trainingwing@a-sqn.com or phone 07762 507 146. You can also follow our day-to-day news on www.facebook. com/asquadron Find out more about our friends at 258th Company and HTIS www.258th.com www.facebook.com/258thCompanySOG
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SITE REVIEW THE MALL – READING
SHOPPING… AIRSOFT-STYLE! FACT: MOST BLOKES HATE SHOPPING – BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THE SHOPPING CENTRE IS AN AWESOME AIRSOFT SITE? LES LEE REPORTS FROM JUST SUCH A VENUE… THE MALL IN READING, BERKSHIRE has to be seen to be believed! The concept of being able to actually enter a shopping mall in full combat gear and shoot people sounds like a bad day at the January Sales. I’m sure most of us have had similar thoughts when it comes to queue-jumpers, ram-raiders with trolleys and standing in line at the checkout behind a never ever moving bunch of bargain-baggers. Now picture the scene with the hordes of shoppers gone and replaced with other gun toting warriors that can (and will) shoot back. Still fancy it? Then read on........... Around five years ago an Airsofter called Lee Fields embarked on a mission to create one of the finest and most unique battle arenas in the country. Lee found a decommissioned and empty indoor shopping mall in Reading town centre. It had been closed for some time and consequently work was needed if this was to be safe, playable and challenging, so with plans in place and contracts signed the restructuring began and a mammoth task was initiated with a dedicated team of staff and enthusiasts. The Mall Reading was created to provide fellow ‘softers with an unparalleled experience in terms of urban CQB and all under one roof - a very big roof at that - with some seriously challenging architecture. Being the inquisitive type I contacted Mark Lundy, the Boss of Zed Adventures, who was happy to invite me along on a typical game day so that I could see for myself what makes The Mall one of Britain’s finest Airsoft venues, whatever the weather. The Mall isn’t particularly difficult to find as the Zed Adventures website gives clear and concise directions and once you enter the area Marshalls will welcome you and give access to a secure free parking compound about 20 metres from the entrance. This is commercial territory so expect some traffic and allow a little extra time for this final part of your journey, however there is zero chance of getting wet and muddy as once you are inside, a new world of corridors and rooms opens up - so get ready to be impressed or, as I was, somewhat awestruck by the enormity of this establishment. I was given a guided tour as the games got underway after a quality briefing, with a better than average emphasis on Health and Safety as this place has many windows, walls, walkways
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and other hard surfaced areas to be aware of. This is, of course, a solid structure and care and awareness must be in the forefront of everyone’s mind as if someone slips or trips then The Mall structure is going to win. That said, Mark has in place the highest safety standards I have ever seen. During some down time, I asked Mark to tell me about The Mall from the ground up and trust me when I say there is a lot of ground to cover… Les: Mark, thank you for inviting me along to The Mall. How about we start with some info about the unique location and what players can expect upon arrival? Mark: The full postal address for the Mall is Garrard Street, Reading.
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The nearest postcode is RG1 1NR, which takes you just past the site. Our car park is under the nearby Xafinity House building which is across the road from the site. The car park has a secure entry point where a marshal lets our players in by way of a swipe car entry system. The car park has CCTV on it, meaning it’s one of the most secure car parks in Airsoft! Les: So let’s take a look at some of the history of The Mall up to the present day. Mark: The Mall was opened by Lee Fields, who is the company owner, in May 2009. We originally opened in conjunction with First and Only Airsoft but after a while, we moved off into developing our own company, Zed Adventures. We continually develop the site by making more adjustments to the building as and when we can. We rely on the feedback from players who play the site as they are the ones who will be able to let us know where any potential weaknesses are. This has led us to do things, such as add more cover, build fortifications and even cut out more doorways in parts of the building where bottlenecks occur. We have recently had a focus group of our regular players come together to see what they think would be good adjustments to make. As a consequence, we are going to implement more building works as soon as time and budget permit. Les: How did you guys find such unique premises for Airsoft? Mark: Lee found the site after extensive trawling of various Urban Explorer forums. The difficulty is not just finding an old building but one which has suitable facilities for the players and a varied playing field. There are often old office blocks or warehouses which could be used but if they’re just an empty void, they may not be much fun to play. That’s why we created various barricades in the more open areas of the Mall. Les: And when and how did Zed Adventures take the reins and what has been the result so far? Mark: Zed Adventures was started in April 2013, when the southern group of First and Only broke off to form their own company. Lee, the company owner, has extensive experience in running airsoft sites and venues, spanning back to when Airsoft was in its infancy in the UK. Over the time that the company has been around, we have continued to develop and will grow in the future. Our staff are all Airsofters and must show the utmost in professionalism at all times. We currently have three more sites; Battle Lakes in Kent, Thunder Ranch, Eversley and The Manor, near Warrington. Les: What does The Mall have to offer that other CQB or urban sites don’t (bit of a no brainer but I had to ask)?
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SITE REVIEW THE MALL – READING
Mark: The Mall has the unique advantage that the whole site is selfcontained. The safe zone consists of 3 rooms, with lots of seating and tables to put your kit. We have a bank of 8 chargers which means getting your battery ready for the next game shouldn’t be a problem. We can even balance charge LiPo batteries. The safe zone has three toilets for customer use so no need to worry about using a smelly porta loo. We have drinking water available from all our taps so it’s easy to fill up your hydration system, if you have one. We also have free tea and coffee available throughout the day so you can grab a quick brew between games. As with all businesses nowadays, we cannot allow smoking inside the building, but we do allow E cigarettes to be used. In between games, we have breaks which allow smokers to nip outside. Our shop is run by the guys at Airsoft Armoury and they will deal with all your tech needs, with a drop off and pick up system available. So if you need work done, such as an upgrade, drop it off at the site and you can either pick it up from their shop or wait and pick it up at The Mall. The Mall has a site capacity that we aim to have at around 80 players. We are a popular site and can often book out in advance so we always recommend dropping us an email to book slots. Rental slots are capped at 30, so we don’t have an unfair playing field for those who are new to the game, or risk making one team disadvantaged. We use G36C’s as our rental weapons, with hi cap magazines. Full face protection, a tac vest and unlimited ammo are standard and our rental prices start at £53 for the day, with upgrades available on request.
Maps of the Mall can be found on our Facebook page. Les: Okay, I’m beginning to get the picture, so how about a heads-up on some of the basics that our readers would need to know when they are prepping their kit, such as FPS limits which I am sure are rigorously enforced. Mark: Our rules are quite extensive due to the unique nature of the Site and are all covered in our safety briefing at the beginning of each day. We cover everything about the site, from the standard rules about hit-taking etc. to single shot areas. We appreciate that The Mall has one of the longest briefings of most sites but we’d rather cover it first thing than have to interrupt game play throughout the day to correct players. We are strict on enforcing the rules as they are there to make sure everyone’s day is enjoyable and safe. We have an FPS limit of 328FPS on a 0.2g BB and to make sure that all guns are tested with the correct weight of ammo - we use our own ammo when testing FPS limits. The variance is up to and including 340FPS. Due to the CQB nature of the venue, we do not allow any weapon to be used which exceeds that. We use Skan chronographs, which are used by the Home Office and they are calibrated annually. We also have an age limit of 13. Les: In brief Mark, how is the structure laid out? Mark: The Mall is roughly 250,000 sq ft of building over 3 levels. There is the basement, the main mall area, with the shops and back service corridors and the balcony which features our soft play room, including ball pool and slides. The Mall has 17 shops on the main mall level along with numerous rooms in the basement. Les: Can you give me a run through of a typical game day and what players can expect during their visit? Mark: We start our day by opening up at 8.15 in the morning, with game brief starting at 9.30. During that time players can get their weapons chrono’ed and prep their kit in our safe zone. We shut the chrono station at 9.25 so if players aren’t chrono’ed by that point, they will have to get it done after the game brief. This is to prevent those who haven’t got their gun checked in time holding everyone else up. After the safety and game brief, the first game starts and we’ll run a series of games, usually about 45 minutes each, until lunchtime which is around 13.15. Lunch is 45 minutes long and while we don’t have food on site, we are in the middle of a town centre with plenty of food outlets available within a 5 minute walk of the facility. We restart play at 14.00 and play a series of games until finishing time at 16.30. All our games are varied from week to week depending on
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numbers of players and skill levels involved. We try to keep them as interesting as possible with the games flowing as much as we can over the entirety of the site. Les: As everyone probably knows by now, I’m a Health & Safety freak and ‘Risk Assessment’ is my middle name, so if ever you need to impress me it’s now. Mark: We enforce all our rules strictly and we have H&S as a top priority. We have a lot of glass with the building being an old shopping mall, but it has been tested and is the triple laminated kind which is extremely hard wearing. We already had fire exit signs in place from when the building was originally in use, but we have supplemented these with our own photo-luminescent ones in the event of a power outage. We have fire-fighting equipment spread throughout the site to deal with any issues which can be safely tackled. We also have a fully stocked first aid area in the safe zone, including eye baths. Les: Okay, consider me impressed mate, but in reality, H&S needs application so can your staff cut it if they need to? Mark: Our Marshals are all trained in the rules and regulations of the building and are all paid, professional Marshals. They know the site inside out and will always help any player who is having issues, from finding their way back to respawn, to refreshing the players on what the rules of the games are. We have first aid trained staff on each game day and they are pointed out at the beginning of every event. The Marshals are also aware of our evacuation drills, should we have to get everyone out of the building in a hurry. All our Marshals have comms. with each other so we can keep a constant commentary on how the games are going and if we are having any issues, we can redeploy our manpower as necessary. Our Marshals are trained in conflict management before being allowed to interact with players. We run a M to P ratio of 1 to 10 as a usual minimum. We are fully insured and have done a complete H&S assessment on the building, which is reviewed regularly. If something is spotted which may be a risk we will either correct the issue immediately, or remove that area from play until it can be made safe. Les: Sounds like you have it all covered Mark, so credit where credit is due and I particularly like the fact that your Marshalls are trained in Conflict Management (unfortunately an all too frequently needed
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intervention these days) and this is the first time I have found this at a site, so top marks for that. We all know that a few well practised and well-timed words can de-escalate an ugly situation from occurring but knowing how to handle every unique conflict does take a well-trained mind and a person that excels fluently under pressure. Not everyone can do it and I know only too well that only the strongest survive to aspire up to and including accepted legislative standards. In fact for the last seven of my seventeen years as a Hostage/Crisis Negotiator, I became an associate trainer for the South East area in my profession. Anyway, I digress… I understand that Corporate Airsoft events are now becoming very popular so does The Mall cater for this? Mark: We are a popular choice for corporate events and we regularly host events for businesses, as well as private events for stag do’s or birthdays. We can cater for up to 40 rental players and more, if others have their own kit. Les: In this vast and complex structure which is littered with hidden corridors, secluded storage areas and an expanse of multi level openness, how do you stay on top of the game? Mark: We have our tannoy which is great for keeping players updated on time left on the games, or if something happens on the site, such as a ‘weapons down’ incident. We have included other additions to the building, such as remote controlled lighting in the areas around the basement, which allow us to change the way the building looks and feels when playing. From a constant light, to strobing, we can make the areas become very different from game to game. Les: Mark, I understand that you have a very formidable shooting range, can you enlighten me? Mark: We have our very own 20m range should players wish to test fire their guns. The range is a former military bank of range targets, with the standard figure 11 markings, so if players wish to see how a gun would feel before buying it, or making sure their sights are dialled in, they can go into our range and fire away. Les: Due to the structure of the building, I would imagine that pyro’s are frequently used to gain tactical advantage and an integral part of certain scenarios? Mark: Pyros are allowed on site and we allow those from Enola Gaye, TLSFx and Socom Tactical to be used, up to Mk Vs. For solid state grenades, anything up to 9mm blanks can be used. Other pyros not on our usual list of manufacturers cannot be used, for insurance reasons. Les: One last question to round this off Mark, any plans for the future? Mark: We are planning on making some changes to the building. Details will be announced as they happen (keep an eye on our website or Facebook page). So there we are guys, a very comprehensive and informative selection of questions and answers in a no-frills down-to-earth interview with Mark Lundy the Manager at The Mall.
Am I impressed? You better believe I’m impressed, especially as I’m a fair weather wussy when it comes to choosing between a cold wet day or a hot date and a DVD. This place has to be seen to be believed and I would urge anyone with a curiosity of nano proportions to go check it out. I promise you that CQB doesn’t get any better than this but don’t take my word for it, just go there and experience it for yourself as it’s not every day that you can run through a shopping centre shooting people - without half a dozen H&K MP5’s waiting for you outside amidst a light and sound storm of blues and twos. Les Out!
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VANGUARD THE FOREMOST PART OF AN ADVANCING ARMY OR NAVAL FORCE LES LEE INTRODUCES US TO A TEAM HE BUMPED INTO ON HIS JOURNEY ROUND THE SITES OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND TEAM VANGUARD was formed in June 2012 by a bunch of Airsoft crazy enthusiasts headed up by Guy Halliday and Luke Sibthorpe, from the Woking and surrounding Surrey area and are, in their own words, “a semi-serious” competitive team. Their typical theatres of battle are found at Ambush Adventures in Chobham and Southampton and The Mall in Reading, although quite often these guys can be found causing havoc in other sites including CQB Tactical, Xsite, The Depot and South Coast CQB in Portsmouth (I’m getting the feeling that Team Vanguard are rather partial to a bit of up-close-and-personal close quarter battles.....) So what makes Vanguard different from the rest? Quite a lot actually but before we start an in-depth insight, let’s rewind to the early days when (as is nearly always the case) a bunch of pals who met up regularly decided that a motivated and structured team was the way forward for them and Team Vanguard was created, with members aged from 16 years up to a very fit 60 year old veteran. Vanguard is a team of democracy, with everybody being equal and nobody more equal than any of the others which works very well indeed. I was somewhat surprised as the vast majority of teams have structure and a few “senior” members take the helm and steer the players into a formation of skilled individuals that have specific roles. This makes a formidable unit, closely linked and in tune with each other, typically using comms but more importantly, knowing your team mates and their styles of play. Vanguard is no different really, same results but without command structure - as I found out one sunny Sunday at Ambush Adventures Southampton when I was invited into their (non) ranks to get a feel of what makes these guys one of the South’s most competitive and challenging teams. The team moto: “First in-Last out” is obvious from the whistle. Before I had chance to release my safety, I only just caught sight of their heels vanishing into the arena as I found myself mumbling “wait for me” and a few other unprintables. I would like to say that one of their most effective tactics was to sprint as fast as their little legs would carry them into the frontline and then start
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TEAM PROFILE VANGUARD
dissecting the enemy one by one but this observation must stay in the play book for Vanguard eyes only. However I can disclose that Vanguard go in hard and fast. You have been warned! Team Vanguard are not elitist, don’t claim to be and don’t aspire to be but they are very, very good and a highly formidable bunch of warriors should you have the misfortune to be in their crosshairs. They don’t pretend to be the best Airsofters in the world, they are not laden with morale badges and every bolt-on accessory that the Far East has to offer but they are truly passionate about what they do and are “living the dream” (to coin a phrase) and this enthusiasm and passion is reflected in their style of play. I would say they are certainly passiveaggressive and clinical in their tactics. Over my somewhat limited years Airsofting, I have seen a great number of teams but one thing that I cannot understand is why so many team players fail to wear matching uniforms. I have never been able to figure this one out. I know that we all have our own favourite camo, I know that we all have our own favourite load out but surely the clue is in the word “team” and priority number one should be that every team member is wearing the same gear, or is that just me being picky? Team Vanguard are “as one” from the ground up, it is a very impressive sight and certainly sets them apart from the rest. Getting back to the team, Vanguard has a hardcore of 17 regular players, players of many skills and abilities, from the strategic offensive unit to Marksmen ready to pick off the enemy (usually with round number one). Of course, there are specialists in the team, a good example are the more athletic attack group within that will be in your face before you can say “where’s the regen?”. They hone their skills and tactics 2-3 times a month with Luke, Guy and Leon (aka “The Boss”) deciding on who does what dependant on their opponents on the day. If they are fighting another strong team then ideally they will already know what strengths and weaknesses they are facing but as is more often the case, the strategy for the day is determined during the first game or two, whereas after that they will have a pretty good idea of what and who they are up against. Within the team are a few unique bonds. For example Zombie and Manflayer are identical twins (now that can be fun), Lol-Bot and J.B. are father and son, Pocketfluff and Happy are brothers, Bushwacker and Boss are also brothers and Zombie and the ever deadly Tink are a couple. When I asked about any specialists within the team, I was somewhat surprised to be told that Jonny (Moscat) is very good at
eating a banana unnervingly quickly? My only comment on that is; guys keep your bananas well stashed and outta sight! Vanguard gunsmiths are Sibs and J.B. who keep the weapons in tip top order for the team and another rather nice aspect of the team is the social side of things. Vanguard spend a lot of their social time erm... “socialising” as a team at a local pub or restaurant, or playing pool or bowling which is great for morale boosting (hence the absence of Velcro-backed patches) and the general camaraderie is further enhanced. So what does it take to become a Vanguard I asked? Sibs replied “People join by invitation only. As stated earlier, we are not an elitist group but what we do look for are dedication, commitment, the ability and desire to attend as many (if not all) the games and training and of course, the social events. Then simply become one of the team so long as the enthusiasm is there and once in, everyone is equal and skills are shared and developed as a unit”. So that pretty much sums up Team Vanguard. If you find yourself up against them, then good luck - because you are going to need it! I’ve seen these guys doing what they do best (which is winning) but pre and post-game in the safe zone (or down the pub) a nicer bunch of crazy Airsofters you couldn’t wish to meet. Les OUT!
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I run a few weapons of mass destruction which includes a CM16 R8L, with my M9 Beretta GBB as a sidearm which I prefer, as it gives a different element to the game of not being capable of producing a fullauto burst of bbs, having limited ammunition and it being a GBB.
Luke ‘Sibs’ Sibthorpe: Hi. I’m Luke, aka “Sibs” and I am one of the co-founders of Team Vanguard. I have been playing for a little over 2 and a half years now and still going strong. I find Airsoft to be a great way of releasing stress, getting some exercise and making new friends. When I’m playing in a woodland environment I like to take up a support role using my A&K Mini-Me to suppress the opposition, whilst in urban environments I get up close and personal with my WE GBB Scar and Samurai Edge M9. I currently own 5 Assault rifles, 1 LMG, 1 Submachine gun, 1 shotgun, 1 sniper rifle and 3 pistols. As you can imagine the girlfriend gets quite jealous at times. Team Vanguard is dedicated to good sportsmanship, respect and having fun... and don’t get me wrong… it’s nice to win occasionally too. Outside of Airsofting we like to meet up as a team have lunch a few beers and spend some time discussing where we are most likely to end up next, we feel this makes us a stronger team as we put a lot of time in getting to know each other, this way we know everyone’s strengths and weaknesses including our own.
Gemma ‘Tink’ Roberts: I have been on the team for 8 months but played Airsoft for 2 ½ years courtesy of my boyfriend and fellow team member “Zombie” (name not status). By day I work full time in the medical profession and I also make jewellery, so quite a contrast between the three. My guns consist of a CM16 R8 Long barrel and a WE Barry Burton which enables me to play “up front and personal”!!! With work permitting, I try and play twice a month. I mainly play just for fun but I also find it’s a good way to release stress.
John ‘JB Burkitt’ Dom ‘Dealer’ Buonaiuto: Yoo, it’s Dom “Dealer”, one of the senior members of Vanguard. As well as playing the sport I also do most of the social media side and PR of the team especially on our YouTube channel, Facebook and Twitter pages. I have been playing Airsoft for the past 2 and a bit years now, (year and a half within the team) and I still love every element of the sport. My typical style of play is sneak n flank, especially with just a pistol and knife… I simply love it! One of the main reasons I play Airsoft is to have a laugh with a great bunch of people, not to mention a bit of exercise too! And I wouldn’t have known them if I hadn’t joined them on a game day in Chobham Ambush Adventures a year or so back. Ever since then, I have loved every trigger-pulling minute of it. The whole idea of working together as a unit within Vanguard or with others on the same team, and after games socialising with other players about kit & gear etc. It’s just brill! If we, as a team, aren’t playing on a weekend, we tend to meet up for a drink to discuss where to go next, improvements on gear or on the team itself. Or just for a socialising catch up.
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I started playing Airsoft as a better and more fulfilling progression from paintball and it was something that I could do with my teenage son. The Ambush Adventures site at Chobham is ten minutes away from my home in Woking and so became a regular venue. It was at one of these that my son and I met the folks who were to become Vanguard and the rest is history. I play Airsoft because when you are engaged it is the whole world, there is nothing else. My personal favourite is a stealth outflanking move or deep cover defence, that moment when you have a clear shot and they are completely unaware, oh yes. If a plan works OMG the joy of victory, if not you tell the other guy “good shot mate” and respawn then try again! Being in a team when we can all play to our strengths. “the whole is so much stronger than the sum of the parts” and as far as weapons go I quote The Matrix: “Guns, lots of guns!”
Team Vanguard Guy Halliday (Pocketfluff), Luke Sibthorpe (Sibs), Dan Doobs (Doobs) Dom Buonaiuto (Dealer), Lawrence Burkitt (Lol-Bot), John Burkitt (J.B) Jonny Camp (Moscat), Leon Nell (Boss), Alex Nell (Bushwhacker) Lee Halliday (Happy), Callum Beale (50.Cal), Gemma Roberts (Tink) Micheal Blackman (Zombie), Mitchell Rhys Harper (Flat-Cap) David Blackman (Manflayer), Will Bird (Birdy), Adam Carr (Monkey Nutz) Team Newbie
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TO ROLEPLAY OR NOT TO ROLEPLAY?
ONCE AGAIN DEBATE TIME ROLLS AROUND AND IN THIS ISSUE GADGE ASKS: “IS THERE TOO MUCH ‘ROLEPLAY’ IN THE HOBBY?” BACK IN 2000 WHEN I STARTED PLAYING “serious airsoft” (as in not messing around with kit-built springers), nearly all local sites worked on a Red Team vs Blue Team “capture the bunker/flag/ post” scenarios. A few companies like Stirling Services were doing “MilSim” weekends but it was a rare treat for our team to take a few days off and travel down to a hired Army training area for a weekend being “Korean Irregulars” or “Russian Mercs”. Fast forward a decade and a half and it seems that even a simple Open Day now has players immersed in a storyline as PMCs, a Commando force or members of a ragtag National Army having a border war with a similar ill-equipped neighbour. But do any of you miss the simplicity of capture the flag team games? Do you despair when the briefing tells you that your team are ‘Force X from Sumwherestan’, or do you just want to shoot out other players and don’t care what they are supposed to be as long as you can tell which ones are on your side? Being heavily involved with the WWII and Cold War scenes I can forget that something that’s fundamental to FilmSim events (i.e. the suspension of disbelief and pretending you’re in ‘Nam or Berlin) is pretty much an add-on to standard skirmish play - but it does seem at many sites I’ve reviewed that the “story-based day” is becoming the norm. But equally, at many Open Days I’ve seen plenty of players play lip-service to these scenarios as they are simply there to have fun shooting out the other team and, while that’s perfectly understandable, it can cause tension with those who want a more “MilSim” experience. The flipside of this of course, is that it’s equally common to see a minority of “hardcore” players look down upon the more causal skirmisher and deride either their playing style or their kit! At a WWII/NAM/Cold War game the suspension of disbelief is essential to the feel of the event and just one or two players treating the weekend as a Sunday skirmish can quite literally ruin months of work by the organisers but, on an all-comers day surely everyone has the right to play the game in their own way and at their own pace? On the whole this is usually the case but occasionally one can find an open day’s play dominated by a complicated scenario that panders to a proportion of the player base but is too much, or frustratingly convoluted to the more casual player. We asked you whether you were are you fed up with the roleplay or do you live for the opportunity to get into character? Barnes Kno Al: “Jeans, vest, midcaps, baseball cap and some fast paced, no respawn attack or defend games are what get me up at 7 am on a Sunday.” Phil Taylor: “I think a good mix of both is quite healthy and can break up the boredom of playing just one game type over and over again. Just my 2 cents anyway...”
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debate ROLEPLAY
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debate ROLEPLAY
Iain Plimmer: “There’s a balance for the casual player, most players I skirmish with really don’t absorb the story but play the objective. I’m running a game this month that I hope strikes this balance of objective without background that is interesting enough to carry a full day. We shall see!” Billy Gumbrell: “Once I became full-time at Bluestreak Airsoft I banned capture the flag games. In my mind they are to paintbally. We still play the same sort of games but in substituting flags for military equipment such as ammo crates or weapons platforms it adds to the “military” theme that most days run on.” Phil Bucknall: “I like the mini-MilSim style that a little role play and mission-based longer games bring to the mix. We’ve been playing morning and afternoon games only - each about 2-3 hours in duration with set objectives, oftentimes secret squirrel missions for certain mini teams and even on occasion the odd non-playing role that adds to the feel and can really make the game. Quite often we’ll follow on from one game a few months later as a developing story line. Saying that though, a simple reds-shoot-yellows, yellows-shoot-reds is still good fun from time to time.” Jon Cass: “It’s the over-complicated briefings that get me, with plots, sub plots and timed events in one game. I get that would work with milsim events over a longer time period but if it’s not that type of event leave it out. What winds me up more is people playing like it’s MilSim when it’s not set up that way. If they want to play that way in their head it’s fine but I was at one event where a player started shouting orders at our team. I don’t mind a bit of motivation but when you hear someone shouting that if you don’t put in the “effort” he was, you might as well go home, that’s over the top.” Mark Fountain: “I think it’s always good to mix it up a bit. Either vary games at sites, or vary your sites to suit.” Matthew Day: “MilSim is the way ahead, it is the thing that separates us from paintball. Proper kit, employed in a proper environment, in the proper way. Skirmish catch the flag scenarios or just force on force yawnsome die-respawn, die-respawn style play does nothing to push our “sport forwards”. I for one like to be tested by the environment and the tasks put before me. It falls to site organisers to push the sport forwards. If you want to play soldier, act like one. MilSim all the way.” Sam Mitchell: “It’s all down to personal preference at the end of the day. The beauty of Airsoft is that you can have awesome experiences with your mates like being chased by zombies etc. or go out on a realistic military exercise for the weekend. I have no problem with MilSim, it’s just not my thing. I like the mini-MilSims that Phil mentioned though. It’s the players that take it far too seriously that ruin it for everyone else (a very small minority). Yes you’re playing MilSim but remember it’s just a game and a hobby!” Peter Bigpete: “Couldn’t care less what the scenario or team based game was! Just give me someone to shoot at!” Scott Allan: “80% quick games and 20% longer more involved. Sundays are generally about the quicker games, weekends are for the scenario stuff.” Ian Lawrence: “Is not every airsoft game essentially a capture flag game in one form or another? Every airsoft game regardless is about achieving an objective. Go here, do that, achieve this. It will be always the same. Whether you wear jeans and a hoodie, or you turn up in the latest active service gear toting every conceivable doodah known to man, it is still the same.” Ian Hannant: “Do what you enjoy. Simples!” Brendan Robb: “On a normal open day I’m happy to slap on a red or white arm band and shoot the other team, have time to stop for lunch and chat with the blokes on the other team. Plenty of high-5s and handshakes for good shots and fair game play. Having fully kitted out blokes with top notch gear at casual open days can either inspire or put off the newer players.” Chris Hinds: “I feel that it’s great when you combine a regular open day with a small amount of role play for certain missions - like you’re a regular army unit sent to stop militants from collecting parts for NBC weapons for half a game day but it is annoying when it seems to be all the time. I feel that it does put people off, especially when people get over-geared up with £1,000 Systemas and class themselves as an “elite U.S marine squad” when they’re not. Just tone it down and balance it and it makes a perfect combination.”
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GAS! GAS! GAS! THE BATTLE FOR YPRES WAS FULL OF HORRORS, NOT LEAST OF WHICH BEING THE FIRST USE OF GAS WARFARE ON THE WESTERN FRONT. WORLD WAR ONE SAW MANY NEW WEAPONS trialled and brought into service as a way of beating the enemy, or forcing the static stalemate facing the warring nations in the opposing trenches. One of these new methods of killing each other was gas warfare. Gas was first used on the western Front by the Germans during the second battle of Ypres. All sides had signed up to the Hague Convention banning the use of gas, however the Germans thought the use of this new weapon would break the stalemate and force them through and on into Ypres less than five miles away. Since the mobile war had ended, leaving the armies struggling to devise a plan on how to outsmart one another, German troops had been entrenched up high on the Ypres Salient overlooking the Brits and their commonwealth allies entrenched below. The First Battle of Ypres had been and gone back at the latter end of 1914, the fighting had all but petered out over the bitter cold months but now Germany was poised ready to strike and it was to the use of gas that they turned to in April 1915. On advice gained from their meteorologists it was found that wind conditions and directions in the Ypres Salient would suit the Germans. They required a steady south westerly wind, too strong and it would dissipate the gas, too weak would see it loiter in their own area, while a change in direction would make it a disaster as the gas would kill and maim Germans instead of the enemy. They chose to use Chlorine Gas, a green-yellow gas, heavier than air which is an oxidizing agent in its pure form. This means that is reacts when in the presence of water, causing a burning effect on organic matter, such as tissues of the human body. Mucus tissues inside the body are covered with a film of water and therefore susceptible to this type of attack. Symptoms of Chlorine poisoning include vomiting and difficulty in breathing, burning sensation through the respiratory system, lungs, eyes, mouth and nasal passages. Untreated the cells would be damaged, in serious cases this leads to a build up of fluid in the lungs causing unconsciousness, suffocation then death, not nice at all. The Germans stockpiled almost 6,000 containers holding 160 tons of Chlorine gas and prior to the attack secretly manhandled them into a position favoured for the wind direction. 76
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feature WW1 | YPRES 1915
The correct wind conditions came on the 22nd April with a gentle breeze blowing towards the south west, in front of and towards two French Divisions, the 45th, composed of white Zouaves from Algeria and 87th, territorial’s from Brittany. German Pioneers wearing masks bent over the cylinders, adjusted the attached long muzzles and turned open the stop cocks releasing its deadly cargo. The first thing the Zouves knew about it was the sight of the yellow-green wall of gas creeping eerily towards them, those that were not immediately overcome fled for their lives in terror and panic. Near by, the Canadian 1st Division looked up to see the Zouves running in panic towards them and what a sight it must have been. The Zouves were not clad in khaki green but blue coats and red trousers, staggering in their direction to escape. Looking further afield the Canadians could see the green cloud coming steadily towards them and needed to react. In those early days there were no gas masks issued to fight the threat but several of their number had been down the mines and
had fended off gas, or heard of it. The shout went out to urinate on ones socks and cover the nose and mouth, this they did, their lungs were saved and they suffered just a few casualties. Across four miles of trench the gas had dented the front line defenders, most trenches were abandoned, manned only by the dead. Fifteen minutes later the Germans placed on their respirators and advanced into the allied lines, in less than an hour they had gained one mile, mostly without firing a shot. By that night the job was done, the road to Ypres was open. There was some blessing, had the wind been more favourable earlier on in the day the situation could have been much worse and nightfall came as a blessed relief, though chaos owned the battlefield for the time being. It was also fortunate that the Germans, somewhat weary of the gas and its first use, did not follow up straight away, had they done so they would have broken right through, the delay was enough for the Canadians to be moved up to plug the gap.
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As nightfall came the Germans could be heard digging in whilst the reserves moved up cautiously too to counter the advance. The lines were moved somewhat to accommodate the ground lost, the gap was filled and the Canadian 10th and 16th Battalions were sent into the attack. The hope was to retake ground earlier lost and also some artillery pieces lost in the panic but on reaching them they were found to have been destroyed by German guns beforehand. Luckily, maybe because it was an experimental use of the gas it had caught the Germans by surprise too, for they had no sufficient reserves with which to push the attack home. The 23rd saw an artillery bombardment of the new front lines and a second gas release on the 24th, this time though the troops were ready for it. One method to save time on protecting the airway was for buckets of the soldier’s urine to be pre-dumped, full up complete with spare handkerchiefs and socks, in a position where each man could quickly grab a sock and smother their airway! Lovely you might think but they lived to fight another day. The Canadians took the full brunt of the attack but stayed put, firm, plugging the gap, as the order went through the ranks; “Don’t budge!” 78
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The lines had moved slightly, Pilckem and Mauser Ridges had been lost along with the town of St. Julian but after the regroup the position and more importantly Ypres, held. This was the first purposeful use of gas against us; prior to this a gas accident had occurred at Hill 60, where damage was caused to the containers of gas before they could be used. The damage was caused by our own artillery bombardment of the German positions, there were several isolated incidents of soldiers being incapacitated but no real effect was done, therefore the incident was ignored. The first use of gas in the war was on the Eastern front, to no effect; it simply froze in the sub-zero temperatures. The British first use of gas was at Loos on September 15, again to no real effect. Four percent of war casualties were due to gas attacks, a relatively small number. Both sides used gas but after the progression of gas masks the overall effectiveness as a weapon dwindled, both sides simply made conditions harsher for themselves more than gaining any real advantage.
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RELOADING! IT’S SOMETHING WE ALL HAVE TO DO IN-GAME BUT HOW MANY OF US EVER PRACTICE THIS SIMPLE SKILL? PRO-TACT SHOOTING’S ANDY NIGHTINGALE GIVES YOUR AEG HAS GONE DOWN and BBs are whacking into the cover all around you. You grab your sidearm and empty the magazine at the opposition. The action locks back… The mag is empty… You shout “Reloading!” so your teammates know you are out and grab a fresh mag from a pouch… Have you ever gone to reload your side arm but found that you couldn’t? Maybe it was because your magazine was empty, or it won’t go into the gun because it was the wrong way round, or even that you were carrying the wrong magazines. It happens to all of us and if it hasn’t happened to you then don’t worry one day it will! To be honest it isn’t rocket science to fit a magazine into a handgun but under duress it can cause a whole host of problems. One of the very first things we teach at Pro-Tact during our weapons handling courses is “weapons familiarisation”, which is not just naming the parts of the weapon but also their function and operation. It’s most important that this is done early on so the shooter can safely operate the weapon when under duress. It’s much like driving a car. You wouldn’t drive a car without first having the correct and appropriate instruction; that would be dangerous to you and those around you and the same goes for gun operation and manipulation. Not only is it important to learn about the buttons and leavers on the gun itself but all the ancillaries that accompany it also, such as the magazines. First off we need to know how to maintain and keep the magazine operable. For live rounds we teach our students how to strip and clean the magazines, as this is part of the weapon and should be done after every time we finish shooting to keep them in good order and operable. Next we need to know how to load and eject the magazine from the said weapon. In this article we will look at the emergency reload. The emergency reload is done when the weapon runs dry, that is it runs out of ammunition and the slide locks open to the rear of the handgun. You must be familiar with the location and operation of the magazine release catch, especially when things go hot. Operating the magazine release catch must become second nature and done in an instant when the need comes.
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skills EMERGENCY RELOADINGT
“I’ve seen magazines being forced into the weapon the wrong way round and even upside down.” Releasing the magazine from the weapon is as simple as pressing a button. The insertion of the magazine becomes a little harder. So how hard can putting a square stick into a square hole be? Well it can be quite a fiddle if you’re not used to it. I’ve seen (and in the early years it has happened to me) magazines being forced into the weapon the wrong way round and even upside down. This can be a common mistake but one that can be easily avoided if the shooter takes the time to think about their rig and set up of the equipment they have. One of the most important points to remember when storing your magazines on your belt (or any other method of carry) is to keep the magazines in the same place all the time. This will eradicate the need to search for your magazines when they are needed because you can’t remember which pouch or pocket you put them in. Once stored in the right place it is paramount that the magazines should always be stored upside down and all in the same direction. That is, when you reach for them, your index finger should run along the front, or live, edge of the magazine, the same side as the BBs. This will ensure that all the magazines will be grasped in the same way and the reload will be the same every time. Now you know where and how you have stored your magazines the next step is to load the weapon. If you are on the range or loading the gun from empty with the first magazine, then safety rules apply, point the muzzle of the gun in a safe direction and insert the magazine into the magazine well until you hear an audible click. The gun is now loaded but not made ready. This procedure can be done in slow time and whilst looking at the action that you are performing. However if you are in the middle of a gun fight and need to reload your weapon, the reloading process must be done quickly and proficiently without looking at your actions (as you will be wanting to keep your eyes on the fight). To do this is quite simple but you will need to practice the skill. When you feel that you need to reload your weapon you will need to bring your elbows tight into your body with the muzzle of the gun at nose height. As you perform this movement, extend the weak hand fingers and using the trigger guard, rotate the gun
towards you slightly. This will ensure that you will be able to reach and operate the magazine release catch with ease. At the same time, operate the magazine release catch and let the magazine fall out of the gun. If the magazine fails to eject then use the fingers of the weak hand to strip it clear of the magazine well. With the weak hand reach for the fresh magazine (with the index finger running along the live edge (BB side) of the magazine) and remove it from its store. Bring the fresh magazine up to the magazine well of the gun and offer the dead side of the magazine (back) up to the rear side of the well and insert it into the gun with a forwards rocking motion until an audible click is heard, or you feel that the magazine is fully home. The gun is now reloaded and, if the slide is forward, ready to shoot. If time and the situation allows, the ejected magazine should be retrieved at the earliest opportunity and placed in a dump pouch. The emergency reload is probably the simplest of all the reloads to do but it is one that must be practiced more than the rest as you will have a gun that has no bullets. Also the stress levels endured, when in the heat of the battle your gun runs out of man-stoppers, more often than not will leave you in a state of panic. Just when you need it most you get nothing. Some might say that it is bad practice to let your gun run dry but sometimes you may not have a choice. Often we are taught to count our rounds but in a real gun fight, or when the odds are stacked against you in a BB-slinging match, counting rounds is the last thing on your mind. I seam to remember once getting myself and my client to safety was the number one priority and counting never entered my head. Try not to let you gun run dry as the sudden stop in lead or plastic trajectory is a terrifying surprise. Next time I will go through the practice of combat reloading the gun. Have fun, stay safe and happy shooting.
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IPAS IPAS BILLY BASICS BILLY BASICS PRACTICAL SHOOTING TEAMWORK PRACTICAL SHOOTING TEAM WORK
TEAMWORK WORKS
WITH HIS OWN PERSONAL “TEAM” GROWING, BILLY TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO TEAMWORK AND ASKS: WHAT ARE ITS STRENGTHS? GREETINGS TO YOU ALL. I don’t know about you but I am in a ferociously good mood today! As I sit here dear readers, engaged in my favourite activity of each month (writing this article – I kid you not!!), with the sun on my back and a free rein from Ed (as usual), I am reflecting on the concept of “teamwork” and “the team”. My better half is upstairs in bed feeling a bit poorly (she’s growing Mk2 in her tummy you see and is suffering like ten men, poor love), I meanwhile am ferrying her brews and specific snack requests. No coal sandwiches or newt and slug smoothies yet but it is only 10.41, so goodness knows what she’ll want for lunch! You see we make a great team, she and I. I clearly can’t grow a baby and I am not remotely interested in testing John Cleese’s theory of gestating the foetus in a box. So while she suffers wo/manfully above my head, I crack on with other chores (under her guidance of course - we’ve developed a comms system by which she thumps on the floor with the sole of her jackboot and I come running); I unstack the dishwasher, peg out the washing, attempt to do some of my own work and I keep her happy by pre-empting what she might need. She’s happy and therefore I have an easier life, ergo: I am happy and we (as a unit) have managed to altogether avoid the usual arguments that couples in our position have and our daughter is a very happy little creature – because we are a team. So teamwork and the team is this month’s subject. One more thing, I couldn’t let this opportunity slip by without having my say about what happened to the nation on Thursday the 18th Sept, the Scottish Referendum. I was really worried about it I will be honest with you, it made me think about the issue of Team work and how the collection of Nations that we have on our Island is quite possibly the finest team there is. So I wanted to discuss teamwork and the benefits of it. I Googled the two terms and this is what Wikipedia delivered up: Team: “A team comprises a group of people linked in a common purpose. Human teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.” Teamwork: “Teamwork is ‘work done by several associates with each doing a part but all subordinating personal prominence to the efficiency of the whole.’” Myself and a few friends are preparing to launch a quite hefty project that you may get to read about in this fine publication (it all depends on how many
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shoulder massages I promise Ed). The idea had been bouncing around in my head for a couple of years but one by one, without seeking them out actively, the perfect team just turned up in front of me and I decided it was time to go for it. As I glance around Airsoft events I am struck by the range of characters and outfits that I see, nobody is dressed the same and in our fledgling team it’s just the same, we’re all quite different. I come from a purely military background; one of the lads is an IT Finance entrepreneur with a passionate interest in Survival and prepping. The third man is a salesman who turned up on my door and impressed the pants off me with his enthusiasm and drive, so I had a few coffees with him and got to know him before I posed the question. The last member is an incredibly talented security reporter. We all met quite by accident, by chance and hopefully we’ll create something superb. But the weirdest thing about us all coming together is that we’d all had roughly the same idea but hadn’t come across the right people. It’s all about the right people isn’t it? We can probably all remember a time when we were doing something (either in or out of uniform) which we remember as a “Golden Time”, it might have been a football team, a pub quiz team, training team, knitting circle or whatever. It was just effortless enjoyment and you loved it. Then someone left, got replaced, another moved on, another got married. Then another left and before you knew it, it was all different, the magic had gone. I’m reading a terrific book at the moment called “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari, it’s all about Man and the history of our rise. There were apparently several different versions of us around all those thousands of years ago and Homo Sapiens was not the largest, most muscular by any stretch of the imagination. But where we excelled and ultimately triumphed over all the other versions and ultimately other species was in our ability to cooperate with one another to achieve goals. A Good Team – What makes it? Firstly in my humble opinion it’s individuals, characters. When I first joined the Army they nearly fell off their chairs with laughter when I walked in after all that gruelling training, I was (and am still – a bit) well spoken, green behind the ears. 84
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I was expecting to be congratulated and welcomed, maybe put under the charge of a seasoned old sweat who I would come to respect and to emulate. Have a chat with yourself!!! But I was after a considerable length of time (well until the next batch of newbies arrived, so it wasn’t more than 6 months) whilst the lads got the measure of me, by giving me shit jobs and baiting me, accepted and valued as a unique member of the team. Asked my opinion, sometimes told to wind it in, but by ‘eck I felt valued and I thrived in that environment. This compared quite starkly with some of my mates who had been enthusiastically accepted initially (which really galled me at the time) but then fell foul of the bullying nature of that location - and then it began. Because they were different and didn’t want to dress like the others, swear, drink, boast and ultimately bully “newbies” like the others they were seen as a threat and were eventually bullied out. This was something that I grew to loathe in instructors and have had one of my fellows by the throat up against a 4 Tonner before because he was taking out his personal shortcomings on the lads in his care. I won’t put up with it. I also made myself quite unpopular at Brecon by answering back to a particular prominent tit on the horizon during a lesson - but that’s for another day. Bullying is dull and wrecks lives, don’t do it. The next ingredient is that all important sense of “purpose”, a common shared goal that everyone buys into, they all get why you’re doing it. Having a charismatic (but not overbearing) leader really helps here, somebody who can keep everyone focussed on the aim but also listen to (and nurture) the rest of the guys. Not a bully but also not someone who will be regularly challenged because they can’t stand up and speak confidently in front of the team. Friendship and demonstrating respect to our fellow man is a life skill that we could all do with a little more of I think, respect for others. If you’re in a position of authority or a senior member of the team then the team members will want to stick around and will encourage their friends to join if the atmosphere is friendly and everyone can get along.
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Because at the end of the day that’s what we all ultimately want from our spare time (well all our time actually) to enjoy what we’re doing right then. It’s a funny thing to describe but you’ll know it when you see it, or feel it and by the same token you’ll know it when you experience a bad one. Bad Team – Time to steer away if you can. Bruce Wayne’s Butler Alfred in Batman once remarked “Some men just want to see the world burn” and I think this is really pertinent bearing in mind what’s taking place around much of the world right now. Some guys like to create, some are great at following and others just like to mess things up, it’s what they do. I knew a couple of guys like this and very little positive ever came from knowing them; they were selfish, aggressive, conceited and nasty. Don’t get me wrong they were exceptional soldiers, much better than I ever was but they were every leader’s nightmare, the sort of guys who my best friend once described thus: “5% of my men take up 95% of my time” and not for good reasons either. You want to try and avoid these characters as much as you possibly can, the best way to uncover them before you invite them into your club or your team is to spend time with them in as many settings as you can. This way they won’t be able to hide, I know it sounds daft but it’ll be worth it in the long run, either that or ask as many people as you can what they’re like and make your choice based on this. Because as I know to my cost, leopards can’t cover their spots - but they can cam them up for a while. Good Luck with forming that team you guys and see you next month. Stay Low, Move Fast... BB
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OBERGEFREITER BRUNO SUTKUS SNIPER ONE, DAN MILLS ROUNDS OF HIS WORLD WAR 2 SNIPERS AS HE CONCLUDES HIS LOOK AT A LITHUANIAN WHO BECAME ONE OF GERMANY’S MOST SUCCESSFUL SNIPERS. FROWNED UPON TODAY DUE to often being discovered, Bruno Sutkus used trees from which to fire as he built his tally. He regularly received tasking from his superiors for the sniper to eliminate threats posed to one company or another. On one such occasion Sutkus was tasked to react to the constant mortar fire being directed into the position. To get a better view into the enemy fortifications he felt it necessary to climb a tree, from where he could see tanks and anti tank guns, he sat still waiting for an officer to show his face. After waiting patiently a long time (a typical sniper situation) an officer showed up, Sutkus shot him dead, followed shortly after by a second (likely arriving to investigate the first shooting). Two more kills. Whilst sitting out the inevitable bombardment inflicted as retaliation on the company Sutkus was sniping for, he was wounded by shrapnel from a shell. Once down from the tree he went back down the medical chain and was out of action for a while. Back on the front line again, Sutkus quickly went back to sniping life as normal by shooting a Russian trench digger, most likely to get his hand back in! Again he found himself climbing a tree on a tasking and was rewarded with the appearance of two officers inspecting the position and pondering over a map. One shot, one kill and the first went down. The second officer froze in shock at the sudden death of his friend next to him and was unable to snap out of it before a second shot from Sutkus killed him too. Again, both shots were fired from a tree position. This time the lone sniper did not stay around to get injured from the backlash, he risked movement and quickly climbed back down the tree to escape. Russian snipers were not so selectful of their prey; three German soldiers were picked off too that day. Bruno Sutkus was called forward on a task to eliminate soldiers in a trench under construction, projecting out from the Russian side into No Man’s Land. Due to German minefields nobody could get at the soldier digging concealed below the parapet so the sniper was called for. Cockily he guaranteed that he would shoot the unseen digger dead given the slightest opportunity and stalked out to over-watch the activity. Laid in his position like a cat waiting outside a hole to pounce on a mouse, Sutkus observed the rise and fall of a pair of hands clutching a spade, flinging loose spoil over the top, then, relaxing 86
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feature BRUNO SUTKUS
his concentration for a mere two seconds the digger straightened his back to relieve the cramp. Sutkus put a round right through his head. Watching him shoot was the Platoon Commander of the German section he had been sent to assist, witnessing the shot made him smile and immediately on reaching the sniper he held out his hand to congratulate him. Threat over! The remarkable thing about Sniper Bruno Sutkus was that he kept his sniper log book up to date. To this day it is still held in high regard in the sniping community and one of few remaining after the war, to read through it one does with respect at the prowess and skill of such a proficient shot. A sniper’s rifle has to be spot on and therefore tested regularly to ensure it remains so. When sniping in Iraq I used to re-zero my weapon on an electrical point at 100 metres distance, a spot that I had lazered, giving me an accurate zero. It seems that Bruno Sutkus did something similar; Sutkus paced out and placed a small label, marked central with a red spot, at a hundred metres. He would consider his rifle zeroed when all five rounds landed within the red spot. Sutkus used the ZF –K98k with a low turret sight mounted Zeiss Ajack x4 Scope. Somehow he got hold of pre-war German manufactured ammunition, a better batch and more accurate than mass produced ammunition. When I was sniping I tried as best to get hold of what we call “Green Spot” ammo, this simply means the first ammo from each batch off the press. This next contact exemplifies a typical sniper’s target selection. During an advance, the German unit spotted an enemy Reconnaissance patrol, at a distance of only 150 metres. Sutkus took a fire position and shot the biggest threat from the enemy, the machine gunner. This was the soldier whom could do most harm if allowed to open fire, a typical sniper decision. After checking the enemy advance target number two selected was an officer, again a typical target selection in the priority, he too was despatched. Both were killed by a single shot to the head. The war and sniping went on for Bruno Sutkus, his kill tally raised higher and higher, by sheer craft and cunning and some luck; he was able to eliminate many Soviets seemingly quite easily! Towards the end of 1944 he was operating in Jasterzebiec, in Russia. Enemy targets were appearing and falling with ease, he saw two Russians in a trench bailing out water; he shot one then the other. In the first light of a new day he spotted a machine gun position that had crept up in the night quite close; at 250 metres he put a round in the gunners head. As he did so an enemy sniper
shot at him but missed, narrowly missing his throat. Sutkus shot him and then a second sniper shot at him, hitting Bruno’s helmet but again Sutkus was lucky and again he shot a second sniper dead. Sutkus had mentioned a sixth sense feeling that he was being watched, he was correct and luckily he managed to destroy the threat before getting killed. Out on operations, those who regularly find themselves in close proximity with the enemy, myself included, claim to feel a heightened sense of alarm when something does not seem right, this sixth sense saves many a man. Sutkus had now killed over 125 of the enemy, many of whom had been snipers pitted against him; he had received acclaim and reward from his senior officers, along with the Black wound badge and those of merit. Life went on as normal for the winter on the front but when early January 1945 arrived there was a feeling in the air of a massive Russian advance. Sutkus had been warned that he was to be sent to train snipers at the sniper school, however events overtook him. A massive bombardment of his position took place and he was wounded again, badly in his left hand, forcing him to be evacuated. The Russian hordes advanced and seemed unstoppable, talk of Germany losing the war was widespread, with many officers forcing soldiers to remain in position to fight whilst they made their escape. Sutkus had a hard time of it, now in hospital he was forever moved about to avoid artillery strikes or the advancing Russian army. All too soon war on the Eastern Front had taken a massive turn for the worse. The Red hordes spent many lives sprinting across the frozen wastes and into Germany itself, all the way to Berlin, murdering and raping as they went. Sutkus had a terrible time, at times being held in captivity, almost executed, banished to work in the Siberian mines before finally after many years making his way to safety and living out the rest of his life. In the last days of the Reich it had been posted that he was to be awarded the Knights Cross for his tally of over 200 kills, but events overtook and the Reich was no more. Bruno Sutkus eventually gained German citizenship and relocated back to Germany, where he died aged 79, on 29th August 2003.
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Products andlines orldwide r service
feature HISTORICAL HEAD TO HEAD | SMLE V KAR 98
SMLE V KAR 98 59.95!
MILITARY HISTORIAN, WILL FOWLER, CONTINUES TO COMPARE ICONIC WEAPONS OF THE PAST WITH A LOOK AT TWO OF THE MOST WELL-KNOWN. Gewehr 1898 and Kar 98K The 7.92mm Gewehr 98 was designed by Paul Mauser and introduced into service with the Imperial German Army on April 5th, 1898. It was carried by German soldiers throughout World War I, along with a carbine shortened version, known as the “K98” (or Kar-98, from Karbiner - carbine). In 1904 the Germans had been the first army to introduce the new, “spitzer” bullet, with a pointed tip unlike the blunt, rounded tip of the then current ammunition. The new bullet had much better long-range ballistic performance, so all sights were re-graduated for the new ammunition. While the Mauser action is superb and there are an estimated 102 million rifles with the model 98 bolt action world-wide, the Gewehr 98 rifle suffered from being 1,250 mm (49.2 in) long, which made it cumbersome in the confines of a trench in World War I. It also had just a five round magazine. In 1939 German infantry went to war for a second time armed with a bolt-action rifle, the Karabiner 98 Kurz (Kar 98K or Short ‘98 Carbine), developed from the Gewehr 98. The Kar 98K, first produced in 1935 weighed 8.6 lbs, was 43.6 in long and in its ten year production life it was manufactured in thousands in Germany, by FN in Belgium and Brno in Czechoslovakia. Many versions of this design were also licensed to other countries, which built their own versions - the most famous of those “foreign Mausers” are Persian, Turkish, and Yugoslavian Mausers. A trained soldier could fire at 15 rounds a minute from a Kar 98K and like all the 7.92 mm calibre rifles, the maximum effective range of the Kar 98K was 900 yards. Karabiner 98K rifles selected for being exceptionally accurate during factory tests were fitted with a telescopic sight and the effective range was extended to up to 1,000 meters (1094 yards) in the hands of a skilled sniper. The German Zeiss Zielvier 4x (ZF39) telescopic sight had bullet drop compensation in 50 metre increments for ranges from 100 metres up to 800 metres or, in some variations, from 100 metres up to 1,000 metres. The ZF42, Zeiss Zielsechs sight was times 6 and other telescopic sights of similar magnification were produced by manufacturers like the Ajack 4x and 6x, Hensoldt Dialytan 4x and Kahles Heliavier 4x.
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Among the most proficient snipers who worked with a Kar 98K was Matthäus Hetzenauer, an Austrian who served in the 3 GebirgsDivision on the Eastern Front. In a comparatively short career in the Army he was credited with 345 kills. He may however have killed over 500 Soviet soldiers but since these were not witnessed by an officer they could not be verified. His longest confirmed kill was at a staggering 1,100 metres. Hetzenauer was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes - The Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross - a decoration for outstanding battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Remarkably, despite suffering severe wounds during the war Hetzenauer survived and died of old age in Austria in 2004.
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Kar 98K Facts and Figures Calibre: 7.92x57 mm Mauser in German service; many other chamberings in export models Action: manually operated, rotating bolt Overall length: 1101 mm Barrel length: 600 mm Weight: 3.92 kg Magazine capacity: 5 rounds in integral box magazine
Short Magazine Lee Enfield (SMLE) In 1914 the British Army went to war equipped with the Lee-Enfield, Rifle, Short, Magazine - more commonly known as the “SMLE”. It would be the standard infantry rifle in World War I and for much of World War II. A bolt-action weapon that fired a .303 in calibre round, it weighed 8.62 lbs, was 44½ins long and had a ten-round magazine. Sights are set out to 2,000 yards. Prior to World War I the weapon had its critics who argued that it was neither the long rifle carried by infantry that could deliver accurate fire over long ranges, nor the handy carbine carried by cavalry in a leather “bucket” strapped to the saddle. However, like many weapons, war would be the true arbiter and the SMLE proved an ideal weapon. It was compact, easy to clean and maintain, accurate and significantly had double the magazine capacity of enemy and allied rifles. With the bolt open, a clip or charger of five rounds could be slotted into the Bridge Charger Guide and the first of two chargers could be loaded by simply pressing the rounds down onto the spring-loaded magazine base plate. A clever soldier could then insert an eleventh round into the breach, close the bolt, put the safety catch on and know that all that he needed to do was flip the catch back with his right thumb and he could have a round off – with ten more to follow. Britain declared war on the 4th Aug 1914 and when by midAugust the Belgians had been mauled by the German Army, the only one intact force standing in the way of the Germans and the French coast was the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). The first shots fired on August 23 by the BEF were, perhaps fittingly on the historic battlefield of Malpaquet. The advancing German infantry were pulled up short near Mons as the fast and accurate rifle fire of the British caused them heavy casualties. This action produced the phrase “The Mons Mad Minute” since, in the hands of a trained soldier, the SMLE was easily capable of 15
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feature HISTORICAL HEAD TO HEAD | SMLE V KAR 98
rounds a minute of accurate fire. However in the 1930s, a Small Arms School Corps Warrant Officer managed to up the rate to 37 rounds in a minute – however this was more of a stunt and not undertaken in the face of an enemy. Two days after the Mons action at Le Cateau the storey was repeated - only on a bloodier scale. Once again the Germans attacked in tightly bunched waves and again they were met with rifle fire so intense that they thought the British were equipped with machine guns.
The “sword” bayonet fitted to the SMLE had a formidable 17 ins blade – the theory behind this was that a foot soldier armed with an SMLE and sword bayonet could take on a cavalryman. In fact World War I would see an unique action by mounted infantry armed with sword bayonets. In the Sinai and Palestine campaign on October 31, 1917, it was wielded like a cavalry sabre by men of the Australian 4th Light Horse in the Battle of Beersheba. Often called “the last successful cavalry charge”, stabbing and slashing the fast moving horsemen cleared the Turkish defences in front of the town. At the close of the fighting the Light Horse had taken Beersheba, captured 738 Turkish soldiers and four field guns. In the action the two Australian regiments had lost 31 men killed and 36 wounded. The Lee Enfield No 4 bolt action rifle, which replaced the SMLE during World War II, was less expensive to manufacture and had improved tangent sights. The No 4, which would arm British and Canadian infantry at D-Day and through numerous post war campaigns including Korea, the Malayan Emergency and Suez, was only replaced by the 7.62mm L1A1 SLR in the 1960s. Sniper No.4 Mk.1(T) rifles, made during World War II, were equipped with a detachable optical scope mount at the left side of the receiver. The scope was carried in a separate box when not in use. No.4 Mk1
rifles, made during World War II, were equipped with the simplified, two position aperture (peep-hole) sights, marked for 300 and 600 yards ranges only. At 1.2 metres the No 5 or Jungle Carbine was shorter than the No 4 at 1.4 metres and lighter at 6.6 lb, compared to 8.8 lb. It looked a handsome weapon but suffered from a wandering zero, pronounced kick and a muzzle flash that made a rubber pad on the butt flash eliminator on the muzzle very necessary. It had the shortest service life of any rifle in the British Army being withdrawn after only five years. The No 4 however, lived on as the 7.62mm L42A1 sniper’s rifle, used by the British Army until the early 1980s. The conversion programme for about 1,080 rifles was carried out at the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock between 1970-1971. A new hammerforged, heavy 7.62mm NATO free-floating barrel was installed with a four-groove, right hand twist rifling instead of the five-groove lefthand Enfield-type rifling used in .303 barrels. The new barrel design meant that it did not bear against the wooden fore-end, as had been the case with the .303” No.4 MkI(T) and this ensured greater accuracy. The L42A1 would serve with distinction in Dhofar, the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the Falklands campaign until replaced by the L96A1 sniper’s rifle.
SMLE Facts and Figures
SMLE versus Kar 98K Both rifles are accurate and reliable and both have been thoroughly tested in action. The Kar 98k and the SMLE Mk III are practically identical in weight but one of the most significant differences between the two rifles is the magazine capacity of the SMLE – ten to the Kar 98K’s five. The SMLE magazine can also be removed easily to unload the rifle.
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feature SURVIVAL REVIEW
SURVIVAL KITS IN THE LAST ISSUE SURVIVAL EXPERT AND AVID AIRSOFTER, PAUL WELLAND, GAVE US SOME TIPS ON HOW TO CREATE A SURVIVAL KIT. HERE HE LOOKS AT A SELECTION OF PREMADE KITS
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A SURVIVAL KIT IS A SMALL TIN or pouch, which contains items that can be used in an emergency. The contents of the kit can provide you with protection from the elements, allow you to navigate, light a fire, cut, signal for help, collect and purify water and catch your dinner. These survival kits can be built from scratch by the individual who selects each item, or the kits can be purchased, premade. “But why do I need to carry a survival kit?” I hear you ask. Well, it is always good practice to be prepared for incidents before they happen. Airsoft can take us to all kinds of wild places, so it is wise to carry some survival items on you that can be used should you get into difficulties. I have chosen to review three different premade survival kits. These are the BCB Combat Survival Kit, Mountain Warehouse Survival Kit, and MD Flashlights Ultimate Survival Kit. There are various types of premade kits available to buy which differ in contents, price and quality. The three survival kits I am reviewing cost under £20.00 each. All of the kits are contained in tins and each one would fit inside a jacket pocket. I will be looking at the usefulness of the contents and the build quality of each item. I have also evaluated the kits to see how well each one addresses the priorities of survival, which are; • • •
• •
Shelter (Getting out of the elements) Locate (Establishing where you are, and the ability to signal for help) Fire (Will aid in signaling, and is established first ready to boil found water. Also, to keep you warm, as in cold weather, hypothermia will kill you before dehydration) Water (Making water safe to drink) Food (Hunting and trapping)
Do remember though, as with all plans, there is a need to be flexible. It may not be possible to follow the survival priorities as listed, so be prepared to adapt and change the plan to suit the situation. I remember on one occasion being called to deal with a person who had fallen off cliffs, on the North Cornish coast. They had fallen approximately thirty metres and as a result had suffered multiple injuries. By applying the survival priorities to that incident meant that only lifesaving medical treatment, shelter and locate were required. The condition of the
casualty was stabilised and we sheltered them from the elements. The location was marked by High visibility clothing, which allowed an RAF search and rescue Sea King to swiftly locate our position, winch the casualty into the aircraft and evacuate them to hospital. There was no need to light a fire and the casualty was unconscious, so that ruled out their ability to drink and eat.
BCB Combat Survival Kit The BCB combat survival kit has been around for many years. It is contained inside a 2oz tobacco tin, and is issued with a NATO stock number. The tin’s dimensions are 11 x 8 x 2.8cm and it weighs 195g. Contents: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Tin PVC tape Evaluation report and survival instructions Wire saw Snare wire Button compass Safety pins Knife Steel and flint Candle Fishing kit Sewing kit Whistle Pencil Matches Water purification tablets
The tin is sealed closed with PVC tape, so after removing the tape and taking off the lid, I had my first glance of the contents. My first impression was that the tin was not over packed, so it would be easy to repack when in the field. At the top of the kit were the evaluation report and survival instructions, which is a good idea as the instructions
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contain information on the initial actions to take after an incident has occurred. There was nothing in the kit to provide an emergency shelter but as this is one of BCB’s basic survival kits, I was not expecting to find any. If using this kit, shelter will have to be achieved by using naturally occurring shelter, or by making use of found materials.
wood up to a few inches in diameter but try and save the saw from wear and tear, by only cutting part way through and then carry on and snap the wood by hand to finish the cut. This will save you energy as well. The wire saw can also be used as a snare, by feeding one loop through the other and securing to an anchor. Other items contained in the kit are a pencil, for making notes, drawing sketch maps, or writing down your final thoughts before meeting impending doom. There are also six safety pins of assorted sizes (for fixing clothing, or making extra fishing hooks) and a small sewing kit for mending items of clothing. The PVC tape should be saved for sticking and securing items. What is not in the kit: • No first aid items are included in this BCB kit. • No clear plastic bag for water carrying. • No cord (apart from sewing kit thread and cord on steel and flint) • No tinder material (try small wood shavings from pencil, but you will need lots of it) • No signal mirror (could use tin lid as explained earlier) • No wind and waterproof matches
For location, there is a very small button compass, which works well and does not stick, unlike some cheaper ones. This button compass is smaller than the types I have seen and used before. The initial benefit of a compass this size, is that it will be easier to hide on you somewhere if you risk being captured and searched. There is a standard perry whistle included, which will allow you to signal your distress. It is made of bright orange plastic, has no pea (which is good as the pea would freeze with the moisture in cold weather, rendering the whistle useless) and has a hole at one end for a lanyard to be attached. There is no signal mirror included in this kit but the inside of the tin lid is reasonably shiny, so could be used as one in an emergency. Fire lighting is catered for by a fireball steel and flint which are joined together by a decent length of cord. This cord could be untied and put to other uses. Set within the handle of the flint rod is another small button compass, which again, seems to work well being reasonably accurate. The flint is of a good size and feels robust. The steel striker is a section of a hacksaw blade. There is a coating on the flint rod which needs to be scraped through with the steel before sparks will be produced. Also included for fire lighting is a book of nine basic matches. These have to be the worst matches I have ever seen. The matches appear to be just one piece of wood, with scoring dividing each one. You are supposed to break along the scoring to remove the match, but the matches tend to snap when being separated. If you do manage to successfully remove one, the match head can snap when striking it. So, the matches can be hit or miss and are quite disappointing. Lastly, there is a standard tea light candle included, which should be lit first with a match. Then use the candle to light the fire to save your matches should the fire prove stubborn to get going. Water procurement is going to depend on what water sources are available to you at the time. To collect water, you can use the survival tin. There are ten water purification tablets (puri-tabs) that come with the kit. The volume of water that the tin can hold is tiny. You add one puri-tab to one litre of water, so as the tin holds a lot less than this, you need to take this into account when adding the tablets. Another option is to find a larger container. The tin can also be used to purify the water by boiling over a fire. Food is catered for by the provision of snare wire. The wire is of a thin gauge and easily snaps, so may need to be double stranded if hoping to catch larger game. There is a generous length of wire, so there is enough for multiple snares. A fishing kit is included which contains 3.5 metres of line on a small spool, four large weights, four spinners and four hooks. There is enough of each item in the fishing kit to assemble four individual line and hooks, or a four hook night line (illegal fishing method in the UK). Cutting equipment comes in the form of a small lock knife. It has a plastic handle and a 1.5 inch blade which is quite sharp. Because of its small size, the knife is only really suitable for minor cutting tasks, such as skinning an animal. A wire saw is also included. It has rubber coated handle loops rather than metal rings. It is useful for cutting 94
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In BCB’s defence, this is one of their basic survival kits, which is reasonably priced for the items that you get. If you want the extra items, then other kits made by BCB include the Military Survival Kit, which looks the same as the Combat Survival Kit, but comes with a signal mirror, tin hanging handle, tinder, water bags, single edged razors and plasters. Then there is the BCB Ultimate Survival Kit which is contained inside a mini mess tin and includes all of the basic items included in the military tin but with added nylon cord, salt sachet, mini multi tool and a hack saw blade. So, the quality of the items contained in the BCB kit is high (apart from the matches). No emergency shelter is provided and the issue of fire is only part addressed due to the lack of any tinder material, which I feel should be included in any basic survival kit. All other elements of the survival priorities are addressed by this kit.
Mountain Warehouse Survival Tin The Mountain Warehouse survival kit is my next one to look at. Mountain Warehouse is a high street retailer, who sells their own brand of outdoor equipment. The survival kit is contained inside a mini mess tin which measures 13 x 9 x 3 cm, and weighs 290g. So, as this tin is slightly larger and heavier than the BCB tin, does it contain more items, and is it worth the extra weight? Contents: • Mini mess tin • Mirror inside lid • Candle • Whistle • Personal information form (contained inside whistle) • Pencil • Knife • Razor blade • Button compass • Fishing kit • Steel and Flint • Cotton wool • Safety pins • Sewing kit • Plasters • Zinc oxide tape • Vinyl style adhesive tape • Snare wire • Wire saw • Salt sachet • Zip lock plastic bags On removing the new kit from its cardboard box, I found a standard mini mess tin, with the lid firmly held secure by two roller clasps on either end. I do like the mini mess tin design for this very reason and my own custom survival kit is contained inside one. On removing the lid, I first noticed the mirror fixed to the underside of the lid, which I thought was a good idea. There is a removable rubber seal on the
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feature SURVIVAL
inside of the lid which helps to give the lid a tight seal with the tin. In past experiences though, I have found that you cannot rely on these seals to keep the contents of your tin dry. As with the BCB survival kit, the Mountain Warehouse kit also does not contain any items to provide emergency shelter. Location is tailored for by using the mirror included as a signal mirror. The button compass is of standard size, does not stick and points in the right direction. Now, the whistle is loud and has no pea, but the problem I found is that it’s made from metal. In normal temperatures, that will not be a problem, but if using the whistle in the extreme cold, the metal could freeze to your lips. The whistle does feel solid though and it comes with a key ring on the end. The body of the whistle unscrews to reveal a small compartment. In this compartment, rolled up, is a small form for the user to write down their personal details (like an SOS pendant). The form is printed in English on one side, and for the multi lingual, in Chinese on the reverse. Fire is addressed by the inclusion of a steel and flint. This is a mini steel and flint set, which to be honest, is really poor quality. The flint rod is thin and looks as if it will snap easily. The striker looks like a dinner knife from my cutlery draw, which has been cut in half and secured to the flint rod by a very short length of chain. As with any new steel and flint, the coating on the flint rod needs to be scraped off before sparks can be produced. Due to its small size, the Mountain Warehouse steel and flint set only produces a small amount of sparks on every strike. I would have liked to of seen the inclusion of a larger steel and flint set within this kit, especially as there is no issue with lack of space inside the tin. I was pleased to see some cotton wool included for use as tinder, which is sealed in plastic. There are no matches contained in this kit which was a surprise, but there is the standard tea light candle.
Water is poorly catered for by this kit. There are no water purification tablets included. There are two 11 x 7.5cm zip lock plastic bags in the tin, but each bag is so small, that it only holds just over 100mls. A larger bag would have been more useful. The only way to purify water if using this kit, is by boiling the water in the survival tin over a fire. Food can be caught with the fishing kit. There are four large hooks, four spinners, and four small split shot weights. The fishing line was not wound onto a spool, so it easily ended up a tangled mess when I tried to unwind it. There was probably over two metres of line, but to be honest, I gave up trying to untangle it. There is also some snare wire. Like the BCB snare wire, it is thin so will need to be doubled to prevent it snapping and your dinner disappearing (possibly injured). Cutting is enabled by a very small knife. It has a 1.5 inch blade, scissors and nail file. This has to be the poorest quality knife ever. The handle is metal, the blade is very blunt, only 0.5 cm wide and wobbles freely from side to side. The other two tools on it are no better. To be honest, the knife was just not worth including in the kit. I wouldn’t take it into my garden, let alone into the wilderness. There is a razor blade in the survival kit, so you do have a very sharp cutting instrument to use for small and delicate cutting tasks. A wire saw is included as well. This saw comes with metal rings on each end. When I tested this saw, I found that it cut well. As with any wire saw, it can be tricky to use, with the wire saw becoming stuck whilst cutting through the wood. To make things easier, the wire saw can be turned into a bow saw by attaching the metal rings to a length of
wood. You are not going to be felling huge trees with this saw, but it is a useful bit of kit. Medical items include ten plasters of one size and 80cm of zinc oxide adhesive tape. There is also a salt sachet that can be mixed with water and used for replacing body salts which have been lost through sweating. Other items in the Mountain Warehouse kit are four assorted sized safety pins, a pencil, three 18 x 6 cm strips of sticky back plastic (cut into thinner strips) which are extremely sticky, so could be useful for securing things. There is also a sewing kit which is almost identical to the one included in the BCB tin. What is not in the kit: • No matches • No water purification tablets • No cordage Like the BCB Combat Survival Kit, this kit from Mountain Warehouse does not contain any form of shelter. It does address the priorities for location and fire. The means to purify water has been neglected but the provision for trapping food is adequate. Most of the contents of this survival kit are of a reasonable quality. To answer my own question that I asked at the start of the Mountain Warehouse review, yes there are more items in this survival kit but no, it is not worth the extra weight.
MD Ultimate Survival Kit I have only recently discovered the MD Flashlights range of survival kits, so I was interested to see what they had to offer. Like the BCB kit, the MD Ultimate Survival Kit comes in a 2oz tobacco tin. The tin dimensions are 11 x 8 x 2.8cm, and the weight is approx. 179g. Contents: • Tin • Vinyl tape • Steel and flint • Fresnel lens • Waterproof matches • Tampon • Water purification tablets • Condom • Safety pins • Sewing kit • Plasters • Butterfly stitches • Alcohol swab • Glue • Whistle • Button compass • Snare wire • Wire saw • Waterproof paper • Pencil • Fishing kit • Salt sachets • Razor blade • Candle The MD survival kit comes packed inside a zip lock plastic bag. Packed with the tin in this bag is a survival instructions document, which lists the immediate actions to take after an incident. The tin itself is sealed closed by some PVC tape, which should be removed and saved for re-securing the lid. On opening the kit, I quickly realized that this tin was well stocked. As with the other two survival kits, this one does not contain any form of emergency shelter but as with any survival kit of this size, you shouldn’t expect any. Looking at the need for location, there is a really good, solid perry whistle included. It has a molded clip on the underside which can be used for attaching the whistle to equipment and there is a hole on the end to allow a lanyard to be attached. There is also the standard sized, good quality button compass. There is no signal mirror, but again, as with the other kits, the inside of the lid can be used as one instead. The kit is well equipped to light a fire. There is a very good heavy duty steel and flint. The striker is a length of hacksaw blade. The flint and striker are not secured together, so one part could be easily lost. www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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Tinder is provided in the form of a tampon. The tampon is sealed in a plastic wrapper, so remove that and break the tampon open. You will end up with loads of cotton wool to use as tinder. There is an alcohol swab provided that will easily take a spark from the steel and flint. A Fresnel magnifying lens is included to light a fire by using magnified sunlight but this method of fire lighting is obviously dependent on the time of day and weather. There is also the standard tea light candle. There are five wind and waterproof matches and a striker. These matches light well, and the striker board is reinforced with wood to keep it rigid. For water purification, included are eight puritabs and a printed sticker with the instructions. There is a condom which can be placed inside a sock for support and then filled with water. The tin can be used to boil water in. The plastic bag that the tin comes in can also be used to collect and carry water. There is the standard wire for making snares and also a fishing kit which comes with four different sized weights, five assorted sized hooks and about 11.5 metres of fishing line wound onto a spool. The only cutting instruments provided are a single edged razor blade and a standard wire saw. There is no knife, which I was disappointed and quite surprised about.
First aid equipment consists of six plasters of various sizes, butterfly skin closures and two salt sachets. The tampon can be used to plug a gunshot wound and the condom used as a clean waterproof wound covering. There is also a tube of superglue. Immediate uses that spring to mind are for gluing the edges of minor wounds together. Other uses could be the mending of kit and securing flights and heads to arrows. The alcohol swab can be used for wound cleaning. Other items include a sewing kit, four assorted safety pins, a sheet of rite in the rain style notepad paper and a pencil. What is not in the kit: • No Knife • No cordage (apart from sewing thread) • No signal mirror So, overall, this kit contains quality items. Apart from shelter, all of the other priorities of survival are well addressed with this kit. The inclusion of a knife of the same quality as the other items in this kit, would have made this kit complete. However, there are more comprehensive survival kits made by MD flashlights available to buy on Ebay. These include the MD Elite Survival Kit, MD Ultimate Scout Survival Kit and the MD Extreme Survival Kit.
Summary Each of the reviewed survival kits have good and bad points. The BCB Combat Survival Kit contains quality items and is the only one of the three kits on test to carry a small but usable knife. On its down side, the two major issues for me were the lack of tinder material and the poor quality matches. BCB has been a favorite of mine for many years and still continues to be. The Mountain Warehouse survival kit does boast quite a large contents list. However in reality, I did find the quality of certain items to be poor. This brought me to the conclusion that this kit might be suitable for fun “bush craft” duties in the local wood but it is not cut out for anything more serious. Lastly is the MD Ultimate Survival Kit. Although missing a knife, this kit does address the survival priorities extremely well. I found this kit to be of high quality and I am confident that each item is robust enough to be relied upon in a real life survival scenario. This survival kit really is rock solid which left me very impressed. So on that note, of the three kits reviewed, it is the MD Ultimate survival kit that I would choose to carry on me, knowing that when needed, it would not let me down.
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N bat
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BOOK REVIEW OPERATION MAYHEM
OPERATION MAYHEM
BY STEVE HEANEY MC WITH DAMIEN LEWIS KRIS ROBERTS WRITES ABOUT THE TRUE STORY OF 26 BRITISH SOLDIERS BEING USED AS BAIT FOR 2,000 REBELS HIGH ON BLOOD-LUST, VOODOO AND DRUGS. ‘So it was that we boarded the ageing RAF Tristars to go to war in Sierra Leone with zero ammo and decidedly dodgy assault rifles. In spite of this our morale was sky-high. Every man amongst us wanted this mission. It was an operational deployment. A combat tasking. It was a chance to get our hands dirty, to put into practice all of our specialist skills and knowledge, and to test ourselves for real against the enemy. It was about as good as it got.’
Content In the spring of 2000, Sgt Steve Heaney MC was flown into war-torn Sierra Leone as part of an advance unit known as “The Pathfinders”. With the country on the brink of collapse after a decade of civil war against the Revolutionary United Front, Heaney’s team was deployed faster than they could be properly supplied and sent deep into the jungle to set up a defensive line and draw the rebel forces onto them. Twenty six Pathfinders now found themselves facing off against a murderous force 100 times their number with unreliable weapons and a woeful amount of ammunition. Making their stand in the village of Lungi Lol, they had to improvise their defences from home-made claymore anti-
y t, r A e
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personnel mines to punji fields filled with sharpened bamboo stakes to tear the charging masses to shreds. Enlisting the support of the villagers they fortified their positions, as what had intended to be a two day mission turned into a lengthening siege with no end in sight. Facing an enemy high on drugs and voodoo and with vastly superior firepower, Heaney and his men waited in the darkness of night as the jungle echoed the rebel chant – “What makes the grass grow? Blood! Blood! Blood!” Impressions Make no mistake; Operation Mayhem is a story about tough guys. It’s about living like animals and facing impossible odds. It’s about holding fast, controlling your fear and then dishing out ten times more aggression than you’re receiving. This is about big balls and British bulldogs - and it is a totally captivating read because of it. I knew nothing of the events at Lungi Lol prior to reading this book, so it was especially pleasing to learn more about a conflict which has been mostly forgotten about in the post 9/11 years. I vaguely remember watching the news reports at the time but I had no idea that British troops had been involved in such direct and hard fighting with the RUF rebels. Beyond the action, the reader is shown a fine example of camaraderie and the moral dilemmas that soldiers on the front end experience. Heaney delivers this in a heartfelt and honest way, and although his love and respect for his men is apparent he manages to steer well clear of sounding cliché or corny. The book also highlights, in a very unforgiving way, the absurdity that plagues the upper level decision making in the British Army. Some of the events that take place beggar belief and at times I questioned as to whether I was
reading fact or fiction. Time and again the men are let down by the system that they work for and it is testament to their characters that despite all the odds they stayed and fought and didn’t back down. Impressive and humbling in its modesty. Put it on your wish list. ‘I lay there with my senses on hyperalert and praying for the rebels to hit us. If the onslaught came tonight, at least we could smash seven bales of shit out of the bastard rebels and maybe deter them forever from trying to take this village. ‘But as I lay there on the I-bed unable to sleep, I realised something. I couldn’t seem to remember coming into this village – our arrival. It was weird, but I felt like I’d always been here. As if it had always been like this. Life before Lungi Lol felt like a whole universe away.’
“This is about big balls and British bulldogs - and it is a totally captivating read because of it.”
INFORMATION OPERATION MAYHEM PUBLISHED BY ORION AVAILABLE IN HARDBACK, PAPERBACK AND KINDLE EDITIONS ON AMAZON FROM £6.99.
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SYMBOL KEY IS IT WOODLAND OR URBAN? CHECK THE KEY! UKARA
UKARA MEMBER
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URBAN
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Email nige@airsoft-action.co.uk to add or change a site listing
ATROOP AIRSOFT
ACE COMBAT
AIRSOFT SKIRMISH CQB
Clocaenog Forest, LL16 4SP 07967 394976 www.atroop.co.uk
Kent, TN12 7DG 01303 814803 www.acecombat.co.uk
Studley, B80 7LY 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk
ABER AIRSOFT – THE BUNKER
AIRBORNE 101 AIRSOFT CLUB
ALL ARMS AIRSOFT
Allt-lywd Wood Farm, outside Llanrhystud, nr. Aberystwyth, Wales. 07511554740 www.aberairsoft.co.uk
Downpatrick, Co. Down, BT30 07718 032541 robinsonm24@btinternet.com
Near Trawden, BB8 8SN 07909 683464 www.allarmsairsoft.co.uk
AIRSOFT ASYLUM
ALPHA 55
North Lanarksire, ML7 5 www.airsoftasylum.webs.com
Halkyn wood, North Wales CH8 8DF 0845 257 6937 www.alpha55.co.uk
ARENA AIRSOFT
ALPHA ELITE GAMING
AWA HERTS
Le Mont de Rozel, Jersey, JE3 5 01534 733697 www.aegairsoft.je
Sawbridgeworth, Herts, CM23 4BJ 07732 184957 www.awaherts.com
AMAZON EVENTS
BARNSLEY AIRSOFT
Hellingly, East Sussex, BN27 4HL 0844 2570433 www.amazonoutdoorevents.co.uk
Shafton, Barnsley, S72 8RE 07779 236166 www.barnsleypaintball.co.uk
AMBUSH ADVENTURES – CHOBHAM
BATTLETEC AIRSOFT
ABSOLUTE AIRSOFT Maidenhead, SL6 3SS 07871 314951 www.absolute-airsoft.co.uk
AMBUSH ADVENTURES SOUTHAMPTON New Forest National Park, SP5 2DW 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk
B 0 w
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B APOCALYPSE AIRSOFT Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7QP 07872 348 576 www.apocalypseairsoft.com
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C Grimsby, DN31 3JD 07752 404060 www.arenaairsoft.com
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AIRSOFT COMMANDOS ACE AIRSOFT WAR GAMES Holbrook Coppice, Buidwas Bank (A4169), Buildwas, Telford, Shropshire, TF8 07786 192832 www.aceairsoft.co.uk
Sutton, near Ferrybridge 07723 061386 andyace@ntlworld.com
ACE AIRSOFT WAR GAMES Tong Wood, Newport Road Wolverhampton TF11 8PN 07786 192832 www.aceairsoft.co.uk
AIRSOFT SKIRMISH
november 2014
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AIRSOFT KGB Porkellis Moor near Helston, Cornwall, TR13 0 Chef1322@hotmail.com www.kgbairsoft.com
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Stoulton, WR7 4QW 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk
Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8SL 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk
La Couture, Guernsey, GY1 2 07781 104068 www.battletec.co.uk
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SITE DIRECTORY
Huge thanks to our friends at Airbana (www.airsoftmap.net) for supplying data
FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…
BETTER BATTLES Ravenshead, Notts, NG15 9DH 07967 940043 www.better-battles.com
BLACKDAGGER AIRSOFT Grasscroft Wood, Barlow Lees Lane, Dronfield, S18 7UR www.blackdagger-airsoft.co.uk
CERBERUS AIRSOFT - RIVOCK EDGE Keighley, BD20 0LS 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
CERBERUS AIRSOFT SHEFFIELD WOODLAND Sheffield, S6 6JE 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
BLUESTREAK AIRSOFT Westcott Venture Park, Westcott, Aylesbury, HP18 0XB 01296 658600 www.bluestreak-airsoft.co.uk
BRAVO 2-2 AIRSOFT
g
CHESTERFIELD IMPERIAL AIRSOFT
COMBAT ACTION GAMES
Bristol, BS1 2HQ 07776 288826 www.bristolairsoft.com
Maryland, Norfolk, NR10 4 01328 711867 www.combatactiongames.co.uk
BRIT-TAC AIRSOFT
COMBAT SOUTH URBAN
Sheffield, S2 5TR 07795 631331 www.brittacairsoft.com
Portsmouth, PO6 3LS 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk
BUNKER 51
COMBAT SOUTH WOODLAND
Charlton, SE7 8NJ 0870 7549653 www.wolfarmouries.co.uk
Fareham, PO17 5ND 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk
C3 TACTICAL
CONTACT! FIGHT SCHOOL
Longhope, Gloucestershire, GL17 0PH 07597 938011 www.c3tactical.co.uk
Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, CM14 5 01438 368177 www.thefightschool.demon.co.uk
Corby, NN17 3BB 07740 165787 www.close-action.co.uk
FIRST AND ONLY – ANZIO CAMP
Houston, Renfrewshire, PA6 7BP 07853 195290 www.dow-airsoft.co.uk
Brentwood, Essex, CM15 0LA 07703 530189 www.dragonslairairsoft.co.uk
Caerwent Training Area, South Wales, NP26 5XL 07921 336360 www.dragonvalley.co.uk
Leek, ST13 8 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
FIRST AND ONLY – BUNKER WOOD Kidderminster, Worcs, DY11 5SA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
Doddington, Kent, ME9 0JS 07960 532613 www.coolunderfire.co.uk
Truro, Cornwall, TR2 07837 475012 www.cornwallairsoftassault.co.uk
CUMBRIA AIRSOFT Dumfries, DG12 cumbria.airsoft@virgin.net www.cumbria-airsoft.com
FIRST AND ONLY – KHE SANH WOODS Otley, West Yorkshire LS21 2NA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
DOG TAG AIRSOFT Horsham West Sussex, RH12 4SE TEL 01293 852 314 http://www.holmbushpaintball. co.uk/airsoft
FIRST AND ONLY – MANCHESTER WOODLAND Bolton, BL7 9TS 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
ELITE ACTION GAMES – WORTHING
FIRST AND ONLY – ASYLUM
Worthing, BN13 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com
Kidderminster, DY10 3PT 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
ELITE BATTLEZONE
FIRST & ONLY: THE HIVE
Bexley, Greater London, DA5 1NX 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk
Middleton, Manchester, M24 1AZ0161 727 8863
EXPERIENCE AIRSOFT Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 0AN 01380 728982 www.experienceairsoft.co.uk
COOL UNDER FIRE
CORNWALL AIRSOFT ASSAULT
Bradford, BD2 1BQ 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
DOGS OF WAR
DRAGON VALLEY AIRSOFT
BRISTOL AIRSOFT
CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE SANDPIT
Sutton Coldfield, B75 5SA 07582 684533 www.fireballsquadron.com
Brimington, Chesterfield, S43 1DQ www.cia-airsoft.co.uk
CLOSE ACTION AIRSOFT
Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4RP 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
FIREBALL SQUADRON
Skelmersdale, Lancs WN8 8UT 07986 053076 www.deltateam3.co.uk
DRAGON’S LAIR
Leisure Lakes, Mere Brow, Southport. PR46JX 07790 715059 www.bravo22airsoft.com
CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE COMPLEX
DELTA TEAM 3
FIRST & ONLY: THE ARMOURY Wrexham, Denbighshire, LL13 9RG 07554 800040
FIRST & ONLY: THE ACADEMY FIREFIGHT COMBAT SIMULATIONS Lewisham, SE13 5SU 07973 240177 www.firefight.co.uk
FIFE WARGAMES St Andrews, KY10 3XL info@fifewargames.co.uk www.fifewargames.com
Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 6QF 07779 157440
FIRST & ONLY: THE ASYLUM Kidderminster, DY10 3PT 07779 157440
FIRST & ONLY: THE OUTPOST Kidderminster, DY11 5SA 07779 157440
FINMERE AIRSOFT Buckingham, MK18 4JT 07976 184897 www.finmereairsoft.com www.airsoft-action.co.uk
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FIRST & ONLY: SLEEPY HOLLOW
GUNMAN AIRSOFT – CAMBRIDGE
Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 5LS 07880 316716
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk
FIRST & ONLY: THE DEPOT Glasgow, G45 9SB 0161 727 8863
GROUND ZERO WOODLAND Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 2DF www.groundzerowoodland.com
LAND WARRIOR AIRSOFT
NCIS AIRSOFT
Gorebridge, Midlothian, EH23 4LG 0131 654 2452 www.airsoftedinburgh.co.uk
Edinburgh, EH14 4 nick@ncis-airsoft.co.uk www.ncis-airsoft.co.uk
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
Farcet, Peterborough, PE7 3DH 01733 247171 www.freefirezone.co.uk
FRV AIRSOFT Annacloy, Downpatrick, BT30 8JJ 07730 586926 www.frvairsoft.com
GASS AIRSOFT – PENN 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
GUNMAN AIRSOFT – NORWICH Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk
HILTON PARK AIRSOFT Wolverhampton, WV10 7HU 08000 354490 www.paintballuk.com
HOMELAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT Spanby, Lincs, NG34 0AT 07971 560249 facebook.com/HomelandTacticalAirsoft
HUMBER AIRSOFT North Lincolnshire, DN21 www.humberairsoft.co.uk 07792 680297
INVICTA AIRSOFT – RAINDEN WOODS Folkestone, Kent, CT18 7AY 01227 763335 www.invictaairsoft.co.uz
GREENZONE COMBAT Co. Armagh, BT60 1NE 07772 919974 www.greenzonecombat.com
GUN HO AIRSOFT Guisborough, TS7 0PG 07525 435696 www.gunhoairsoft.co.uk
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november 2014
ISLAND RECON AIRSOFT COMBAT Near Shorwell, Isle of Wight, PO30 07964 751047 www.islandrecon.co.uk
Northfleet, Kent, DA11 9AA 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk
NSC AIRSOFT LAC SITE 5
FREE FIRE ZONE
Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3LQ 01845 565465 www.northernallianceairsoft.co.uk
NORTHFLEET CQB
GUNMAN AIRSOFT – MIDLANDS RAF Honiley/The Grange Frogmore Grange, Frog Lane, Balsall Common, West Mids CV7 7FP Tel: 01676 532 384 info@suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk www.shop. suspensionofdisbelief.co.uk
NORTHERN ALLIANCE AIRSOFT
Kirton Rd, North Lincs, DN16 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
LINDSEY AIRSOFT 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
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
MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
PATHFINDER GROUP AIRSOFT MILITARY SIMULATION
Wrightington, WN6 9PL 01942 514724 www.militaryoutdooradventure.co.uk
Former RAF Camp Sopley/ Merryfield Park, Hants, BH23 02380 899369
MILSIM UK
PHOENIX AIRSOFT
Checkley, Staffordshire, ST10 4NS 07523 916607 www.milsimuk.co.uk
Welbeck Airsoft, Academy, Budby Road, Notts NG20 9JX 07956 587213/01623 812483 www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk
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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
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
Dunstable, LU6 2EE 01494 881430 www.xsiteairsoft.co.uk
XSITE AIRSOFT – LANE END High Wycombe, HP14 3NP 01494 881430
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
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DEALER LISTINGS
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IMAGES FROM ‘THE FORT’ AIRSOFT SITE
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