Tactical Airsoft review Vol2 Issue3

EVENT

ARR

OPERATION STARBURST

ARTICL

ES

S W E I V E R

“HANDLE YOUR BATTLE RATTLE” URBAN ANGLING PART DEUX THE GREATNESS OF WE GBB RIFLES WARRIOR ART: THE FRENCH CONNECTION TRAINING WEAPONS

IOTV VS. IBA ECHO-1 ER-25K ECHO-1 STAG-15 M-16VN GENTEX HELMET SYSTEM VOODOO TACTICAL’S SHOTGUN SCABBARD

Flyye RAV Assault Kit

Letter From the Editor:

to have Frank on board.

Well, here we are on our 6th issue. After this issues has it’s run, we will have been publishing this magazine for a year. So, since this is our last issue of our 1st year, I’d like to say, “thank you very much,” to all of our readers, advertisers, writers/contributors and families who have made this magazine a reality. Keep up the good work.

PFC Hoag was kind enough to write us a comparative review of the IBA and the new IOTV armor. Keep in mind, he is currently deployed to Iraq, so we would like to thank him for not only his service, but for contrubiting some of his down-time to write for us. HOO-AH Hoag!

Now, as many of you know, I recently took ownership of U.S.A.S.O.C. The Magazine.

In doing so, I have more than doubled my workload. So, in an effort to combine resources and reduce the load, I have started Guardian Publications, L.L.C. I am not combining the magazines, just the staff. This will enable both magazines to grow and improve upon each other. I think this will improve our content and provide more experience in all areas.

Now the (undertandably) not so plesant news. We now have a lot of overhead with the publishing company that our normal advertising revenue is no longer covering. Therefore, unless we can find some way of increasing that revenue, we will have to make Tactical Airsoft Review Magazine a paid download beginning with the Aug/Sept. 2009 issue. Don’t fret, though. If we do go this route, it will only be a $1.00 (USD) download. For our European readers, that’s about €.70 and 60p for our UK readers. We realize that we will probably lose some of you as readers, and we will dearly miss you all. However, the world economic downturn has finally trickled down to us as an airsoft magazine publisher, and we are not imune to it’s effects.

In this Issue: (Cover Story) pg. 31 Flyye Ind. RAV kit

New IOTV vs. Interceptor IBA pg. 49 pg. 53 Echo-1 ER-25K

Operation Starburst AAR pg. 65 pg. 45 VDT Shotgun Scabbard

Warrior Art pg. 60 pg. 13 Urban Angling Part Deux

Training weapons pg. 7 pg. 19 Echo-1 STAG-15 M-16 VN

Handling Your Battle Rattle pg. 25 pg. 10 The Greatness of WE GBB Rifles

Gentex Helmet System pg. 57 Now, on to this issue! We have some outstanding articles from Richard Kilgore, David Reeder, and Mike Watkins. We are also happy to be able to publish some of Frank Borelli’s work. Frank owns Borelli Consulting and is the Chief Editor of Officer.com. We are very happy

Tactical Airsoft Review 314 Hornsby Dr. Tallassee, AL 36078 info@tacticalairsoftreview.com 1+334-991-6198

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Tactical Airsoft Review Magazine‚ is published bi-monthly. It is dedicated to the betterment of not only its readers, but the airsoft and tactical industries as well. Reproduction or use of any portion of this magazine in any manner, without written permission is prohibited. All rights reserved. The opinions and recommendations expressed by individual authors within this magazine are not necessarily those of Guardian Publications, LLC. Any questions or comments about this magazine may be sent via email to: feedback@tacticalairsoftreview.com Copyright Š 2009, Guardian Publications, LLC.

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trained in a shoot house where you can go through various drills to clear rooms, hallways and, eventually, the whole structure.

Training Weapons 18 May 2009 No matter what uniform you wear, or if you don’t wear one at all but still carry a gun regularly, there is a large variety of training weapons you can choose from. There are pros and cons to all of them and truly nothing beats training with the weapon you carry – but force on force with live rounds doesn’t usually turn out well. So you have to measure your needs, abilities, financial capability, and pick the training system or systems that work best for YOU. Here are a few you can pick from and ways to augment them...

As I said, if you can train with your actual carry weapon that is the preference. Such training should encompass (originally) classroom instruction to get you familiar with the weapon; how it functions; how to disassemble, reassemble and maintain it; malfunction clearance theory (because it's different with real bullets being fired) and more. Hopefully your instructor is competent and you get or have gotten valuable instruction that covers the basics and more. From the classroom you should be moving on to the firing range where you do work to perform and reinforce marksmanship skills, reload skills, malfunction clearance, wounded shooter drills, etc.

The end result of all that is most likely a qualification course - or several of them - that predominantly focus on putting holes in paper targets for the purpose of measuring you accuracy within time constraints.

In many places that will be the end of your firearms "training". In others - the better ones you'll move on to shooting on reactive targets.

This is frequently done by shooting steel so that you can get the feedback of the PING when you hit or the silence when you miss. The target falling after the PING gives you the visual feedback of having successfully hit and dropped your target. If you're in a really well equipped training facility you may also have access to and be

All of the above are done with live ammo but what about when it comes time to see how well you do against armed adversaries? Or, before that, when you're learning new skills for various environments?

Predominantly there are two types of "training" weapons: * inert plastic or metal chunks shaped like your weapon and * non-lethal projectile firing weapons In the inert category you'd have blue guns, red guns, and other non-firing weapons that are nothing more than shaped plastic. These are great for "dry practicals" where you are practicing movement in teams, using new skills (such as low light training), etc. They are also good for practicing weapon retention and take-aways, but when it comes to target engagement they are quite useless. They simulate an unloaded weapon real well in those situations.

For engagement practice you need a nonlethal projectile firing weapon; preferably one that will fit in YOUR duty or carry holster and has the same controls as YOUR chosen weapon.

Your choices in this category are predominantly: * common paintball guns (that don't mimick your weapon very well at all) * specialized paintball guns (like those from RAM) that mimick your weapon but require proprietary paintballs) * FX cartridge firing weapons or conversion kits from Simunitions * Airsoft weapons As shown below, Airsoft weapons can look a lot like real weapons or can be obvious "toys".

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value of the training.

Note that even though the weapons look real they are clearly

The FX cartridges from Simunitions, fired from dedicated or converted weapons, resolves this argument quite easily because the cartridge "breaks" on impact and delivers a colored smear to the struck target. On more than one occassion I've been on the receiving end of these cartridges and have walked away with blue or red/orange smears. Typically, when we train using these tools, we issue all the "good guys" blue cartridges and the "bad guys" red ones.

That way, when you finish a scenario and all performance is being evaluated / debriefed, it is clear to see if any good guys shot any other good guys. It truly sucks to have that bright blue mark on your back... from your buddy who SWEARS his finger wasn't even on the trigger. It is an important training point.

marked as "safe" by the blue forend and magazine.

This AR-47 and M4 have the correct controls, size, function, etc but are clearly not real weapons as shown by their clear or plastic appearance and the bright orange "safety" barrel tips.

Airsoft weapons are, by comparison, cheap to shoot for training purposes. The only downside I've found to them are that they don't mark the target they hit. In force-on-force training scenarios this leaves the instructors (referees, judges, etc) in the position of having to decide who got hit or who didn't if all involved aren't honest. "I got you!" "No you didn't. I got you first!" can be heard. Instead of being valuable training, at that point it sounds more like the children I grew up with (and was one of) who played WAR, COPS & ROBBERS, COWBOYS & INDIANS and more. The good news is that none of us was ready to accept defeat or death. The bad news is that such completely compromises the

Although I know it's not a training weapon, it can serve to augment the training debrief: what do I speak of? Tactical cameras such as the one shown to the right from Pacific Concepts.

Mounted on any long gun with M1913 rails, the cam records whatever the weapon is pointed at.

Watching such recordings after the fact can show you: 1. Whether or not, during the scenario, your gun was "in the fight" 2. How many times (if any) you indexed your buddies 3. How much the muzzle moved WHILE you were shooting Training, as you all know, is very important to our eventual success should we ever find ourselves in a real shooting situation. Virtually everything we do from the classroom to the fir-

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ing line to the scenarios we experience will impact how successful we are. Remember: shoot outs are never 50/50. 75% of the time, something we don't like will happen. TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN. Find quality training facilities and invest your dollars wisely. But whatever you do...

DON'T just think, "I can load, unload and shoot 100% on the target," and believe that makes you competent. What was it the man said? Oh, yeah... targets don't shoot back. THAT makes all the difference in the world.

Stay Safe!

-Frank Borelli Original Posting: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/evals/guns/fortraining.htm Printed with permission from Borelli Consulting About the Author:

Frank Borelli is the Founder / President / Writer / SME (Subject Matter Expert) of Borelli Consulting. Frank's history includes seven years of military service as a Military Policeman, Light Infantry soldier and Combat Engineer. With more than twenty-five years of law enforcement experience, including almost twenty years of LE training delivery experience, Frank has become recognized nationwide as an expert on Use of Force issues, training development, equipment selection and active shooter response evolution. Frank is a regular contributor to publications such as the Blackwater Tactical Weekly, American Cop magazine and more. He currently serves as the Editor In Chief for Officer.com, New American Truth magazine and the BC News Weekly. He's a member in good standing of the NRA and IALEFI, as well as being a Certified Anti-Terrorism Specialist (CAS) through the Anti-Terrorism Accreditation Board.

EMAIL FRANK

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Why WE GBB Airsoft Rifles Are So Great.

In this article I will try to explain why I think the WE GBB M4 and upcoming rifle platforms are so good for airsoft and Milsim.

First of all, ask yourself the question, why did I begin playing airsoft.

For most people the answer would be something like; I like the idea of dressing up in full gear with a realistic gun in my hands acting like a Special Forces soldier.

If this is not in line with your answer you might as well have started to play Paint Ball.

From the beginning of airsoft the aim have always been to, as realistically mimic the guns and gear of the real military. The gear is very easy. You can just pop down to you local Surplus store and buy the kit you want. For the more exotic parts like plate carriers there have always been replicas available in some form.

When it comes to the guns it is a different story. I will not go into the Pistols since they have more or less always been gas powered.

Marui pioneered the market with their Automatic Electric Guns (AEG). I think this is very natural since it is from Japan and Japan has always been great at making scale models. Just take all the major brands of RC Models, they are from Japan. Historically there have also been some attempts to make Gas powered rifles.But they have always had many shortcomings. I think this is why the AEG’s for many years have set the standard in airsoft. The good thing is that the development of the Gas Guns have not rested or died. No, in fact it has been the opposite.The development has been growing strong in the background. There are quite a few systems available today that are really good.

minor adjustments and came up with some unique, patent-able modifications of the system to fit their needs and the result is absolutely amazing. The system is very robust and it can really take a beating. The system is also capable of using vitally any type of gas. The system is quite easy to adjust and to set the amount of power you need from your gun. So in short WE made a good decision on the choice of system for their product.

WE then incorporated this system into a very realistic body. And of course the first product to come out should be the very popular M4 platform. WE did a good thing and listened to the market and made what the customer wanted, a platform with dimensions and function replicating the real rifle.

Just as anything else ‘First Generation’, WE M4’s had some early flaws. But then the management at WE did a very unique thing with regard to the airsoft community. They listened to the criticism and practically offered a warranty on their products. WETTI (WE Tactical Training International), their international sales branch, made a very strong effort to keep the customers happy. And soon the players could see the GEN 2, the so called AWSS (Advanced Weaponry Simulator System). It was a true step forward.

The gun now featured reinforced parts where needed, anodized body and strengthened parts, as well as trade markings as its real steel counterpart. With this AWSS platform, WE really were flexing its muscles. The product could now be called a true competitor to the Systema PTW and with the added advantage of being much more realistic in functions. Though released earlier than the WE’s, the WA GBB platform was passed in quality and performance with its shirt hanging in the wind draft from the WE system.

Now all that was needed was the aftermarket to react and to start producing add-ons for the gun.

WE choose to work with the JAC System (now defunct) in their products. WE did some

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It took practically no time before some

smaller companies started to produce upgrades and add-on parts. Some of you may now be thinking, but what about the existing parts and upgrades for the AEG’s. Well, some fit and some don’t and that is just because of the fact that existing AEG’s are not of real steel specs.

Why is this you might ask then? The answer is quite easy. When companies design an AEG they design from small parts and photos. What they do is that they try to get a “non vital” part for the gun they are mimicking and then thousands of photos are looked at and taken measures from. The scale is decided by the single part or parts they have and the gun developed from this part(s) and photos. In contrary, WE had the help with the measurements from the real gun, just as Systema did.

As I am writing this the 3rd generation of the WE M4 platform is just about to be released.

It features enhanced barrel and a new hop-up design. Stainless parts inside the nozzle mechanism are now standard to handle CO2 Gas, together with many other minor upgrades. With this 3rd generation come 2 new versions being released: the M16A3 and the M4 CQBR. The M16A3 is a full length GBB rife with fantastic realism rivaling that of the best M16A3 replicas.

The M4 CQBR is basically an M4 but with the short CQBR barrel and RAS from the factory.

CO2 magazines for the new and old platforms will also be available.

OK. So now to why I really think this is the absolutely BEST airsoft rifle available to have in games.

1. It is realistic! With that I mean that the action of the gun together with the operator will mimic a real soldier in the field. The gun only carries 30 BB’s in the magazine so reloads will be plenty & mandatory. The operator of the gun will need to learn how to do it properly or he will be shot out of the game. It also gives quite a loud noise when fired together with a jarring recoil after

each shot, just like the real thing! These provide a realistic feeling and it gets harder to hide or shoot straight without some pre-training techniques. You WILL have to wait to shoot until you have a clear kill.

Now some people may think: Boooooring.

Well, my reply to this is: NOOO, it is extremely EXCITING!! Imagine sitting in a hide out watching your opponents coming upon you. You wait and wait until you have a true kill on the point man. Just like in real life. When the point man is down your position would be discovered, which then means ALL HELL WOULD BREAK LOOSE & you better start bugging out to a new position.

This is just like what real operators do. If the scenario would have been that you are sitting with a high speed AEG on a highcap magazine, you would just pull the trigger and spray the whole party hoping for the best. So with this realistic GBB system, the ‘Spray and Pray’ game is a thing of the past.

2. Who has not been at games where someone has cheated after the gun has been checked by the game crew? I know this happens quite regularly. With the WE Platform the ONLY way to get more power out of the gun is to change things inside the bolt. It is actually also very easy to do.

Wait, some of you might say, this does not make any sense. Well think about it. Some people even hesitate to go to games just because it takes some tampering with their AEG’s to get them to whatever limit is set. If you have a WE GBB Gun you can just have different bolts set to different power for different type of games. This is not expensive as WE parts are in fact relatively economical compare to even AEG’s.

So once the gun is checked by the game crew it can be sealed either with special seal tape that breaks when the gun is opened or special receiver pins that can be sealed. Everybody is happy. The gun can be adjusted to the correct level easily, the crew can seal the gun from tampering during game and no cheating is made

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possible. IF the gun breaks in some way during game you could just make a rule that the gun can only be opened in front of a crew member.

practically clean the gun in the bathtub if you’d like, just dry the gun properly and give vital part some oil after to prevent corrosion.

3. The environment might be the last thing on an airsoft player’s mind. But the Gas Guns actually are more environmentally friendly than AEG’s. There are no batteries that can contaminate the environment. No fires caused by overheated Li-Po batteries. If you are playing in the woods you won’t need any petrol generators for charging stations. Some of you might now say, wait, what about the gas. Well, as long as you stick to Propane (Green Gas) you are very environmental friendly. Actually Propane does not damage the environment at all. OK, but what about the CO2? Well. If you calculate that you use 50 capsules of 12 grams each with CO2 during a game. That would give you more than 3000 BB’s fired and 600 grams of CO2 consumed.

5. And last but definitely not least: IT IS FUN! It is much more fun to shoot a GBB and more so to own one. It gives you a much better feeling than an Electric Gun. I am sure there are many more advantages of using a WE GBB Rifle but these are the major ones. I am sure that everyone that have bought a WE GBB has found many things that gives him or her more pleasure when entering a skirmish area than doing so with an AEG. -Christian

If you compare this with an average car you can only drive about 3km and it will be the same amount of carbon dioxide in the environment and an average person breathe out about 900 grams of CO2 per day. So I would not worry that much about it. Besides the heavy industry is today looking at ways to accumulate the carbon dioxide, cleaning it and selling it to the food industry. So you should worry much more about your batteries which is combustible and requires high amount of energy to recycle.

4. Easy and realistic maintenance: This is a very critical point I think. To open up and do maintenance on an AEG requires some skill.

You more or less have to be a fine mechanics engineer with good, steady hands. There are so many small parts and so much can go wrong. In a GBB Rifle the parts are very few and the mechanics are very basic. Basically you can use the same techniques to maintain the GBB rifle as you do with a real rifle. Some Silicone Spray and other small things is all you need. You can

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Urban Angling 2: I’d Rather Be FISHing Mikhail Sergei Stapeltonovich That’s a joke, of course. No one with a lick of sense wants to fight in town, though urban areas do arguably provide better places to rack out than the jungle or savannah. The fact is, a city is one of the only three ways a technologically inferior enemy can hope to stay in the fight against a properly trained, properly led modern army. “Complex terrain” is an equalizer that will often serve to mitigate or even eliminate technological or numerical advantage.

Think about it—a hundred thousand Soviets died to take Berlin away from the tattered battalions defending it at the end of WWII. In Grozny, the Chechens fought numerically and technologically superior Russian troops to a standstill, inflicting terrible casualties upon them. If you take away any regard for civilian life, LOAC (the Law of Armed Conflict) and the Geneva Conventions, the defenders really start to punch above their weight—consider the Hamas “defense” of Gaza against the Israelis, or the success of AQI against Coalition forces in Iraq as late as Fall of last year. Look at the damage caused by a handful of dedicated terrorists in Mumbai, even with NSG commandoes, Indian Marine Special Force Marcos and troops of the Sikh Regiment hunting for them.

Fighting in town is bad juju. “…The grunt next to me shouted something, pointing his finger at the top floor of a building nearby and firing his rifle in that direction. My reflexes kicked in at once. My rifle let off a few bursts before I consciously stopped and actually looked there. A pair of binoculars that lay on the window frame was blasted to pieces. If you want to live, you shoot first and then think and look. Everyone finds out this formula after his first gunfight. I'm yelling out and waving to stop the shooting. Gradually it fades out. I'm not angry at the grunt. In our line of business it's better to overcook than undercook.

The carriers are speeding forward without slowing down. Recon party radios in to report they are again taking fire, this time from three directions simultaneously. Now, they are waiting for our approach, as they can't handle the clash on their own. Com-brig calls the neighbours for assistance to try and hammer the rag-heads in the rear. Meanwhile we are speeding ahead to help out our scouts.

The last APCs in line have backed off a bit so that in case of an ambush we don't become completely trapped.

As we approached the intersection, the avenue where our recon party took their turn was barricaded with bricks. Two neighbouring streets were also blocked, so we either had to break through or retreat. If we decided to retreat, there was no insurance that we wouldn't walk into another trap. Com-brig made his decision: break through. Ryzhov and myself both completely supported his choice.

Those who could fire weapons leapt off the armour and the carriers rolled back, covering us. First, we wanted to push the spooks inside the block and then, under fire, try and dismantle the barricade. Hiding behind the piles of trash we shot back. Both sides exchanged fire furiously. Suddenly a grenade exploded somewhere close to me - pieces of a blasted grunt flipped into the air and landed 5 meters away from me with dull sound.

In a couple of seconds another soldier died the same terrible death. In the heat of the gunfight I had no time to see who that was. Next to the second body, three other grunts were squirming on the asphalt, screaming with pain and pressing fingers against their wounds. Their coats were soaked in blood. We thought at first that somebody was using a launcher, but then another grunt shifted a brick and noticed an F-1 grenade, lying under a pile of rubbish without its safety pin. Now everything was clear.

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Smart sons of bitches the spooks turned out to be. They cleverly chose the spot for their ambush and also considered that we would dismount and confront them. Our future positions, imposed by them, they boobytrapped with hand-grenades. In a gunfight you have to move around a lot: tumble, spin and hide behind the rubble. That's where they placed these nice toys - F-1 grenades without safety pins. You shift the brick on top of it, its guard lever flies off and here you go, in 6 seconds it bursts. Shrapnel cover an area of about 200 meters. No other mine will have the same effect.

Now we had to solve this dilemma - either pull back or try and counterattack to bust the rag-heads out of the apartment block. Not much choice. Our neighbours radioed that they were on their way and called for air support. That is exactly what we didn't want. A soldier has many enemies at war, but one of the biggest is his own air force. Doubtful they'll ever get the rag-heads, but dropping a few bombs on their own positions is a done deal. That's why we asked our rushing reinforcements to call off the "sky raiders". They'll screw it up anyway. Instructions to storm the building were passed along the chain. We also told the "boxes" to open up with everything they had, and keep going like that for 10 minutes and then cease fire and wait for further instructions…”

An assault on Downtown Grozny, by Vyacheslav Aleksandrovich Mironov

Think about this for a minute—by every conceivable standard, urban warfare is the most intimate, the most savage, most threatfilled battle space a soldier can In one apartment building in Zeitoun, in northern Gaza, operate in, and it is more and Hamas set an inventive, deadly trap. Hamas placed a manmore often exactly where they nequin in a hallway off the building’s main entrance, inspend the majority of their time. dented to draw fire from Israeli soldiers who might, through Small wonder psychological cathe blur of night vision goggles and split-second decisions, sualties usually outnumber WIAs mistake the figure for a fighter. The mannequin was rigged and KIAs. [Note: using dry, imto explode and bring down the building… personal terms like WIA and KIA and the like is an appalling way to refer to the butcher’s bill of Hamas in Gaza, Urban Warfare Strategy warfare but the only one I have.

Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Fighel - ICT Senior Researcher Barring the development of scratch and sniff computer monitors capable of releasing the combined stench of rotting garbage, burnt metal, hair and flesh, raw sewage, carrion and cordite all at once, it’s all I have.]

There are a number of reasons that make urban areas such a truly dangerous places, not the least of which is the three dimensional nature of the battle space (four if you count the population).

One of the most significant is the ‘leveling’ aspect of complex terrain. The closer you get to your enemy, the less you enjoy your technological advantages. At several klicks out you can call in a fire mission, engage with main gun rounds, call for gunships or holler for CAS (Close Air Support), much or all of it targeted and directed via UAVs, or satellite imagery, SIGINT or whatever. At night, at range, there are thermal imagers and NODs (Night Optical Devices).

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Russian soldiers rest outside the Georgian village of Zemo Nikozi.

Georgian troops rest outside the city of Gori.

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Israeli troops in Gaza, Operation Cast Lead

British troops struck by Molotov cocktails, Basra

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US soldier drawing sniper fire in Najaf

US troops approaching a village in the Derezda Valley in Afghanistan

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At around a klick you can engage with a MK19 or a SASR a fifty-cal, all of which have wondrous optics designed to introduce metal to meat with greater accuracy, and you still have the previous options though you’re approaching Danger Close.

Now put a platoon into a shattered neighborhood they’re unfamiliar with, an area of multiple levels, irregular construction, tunnels and unGodly amounts of negative space. Give them a reactionary gap sometimes less than the maximum effective range of a pistol, fields of fire insufficient to allow a 40mm grenade to arm, and you’ve essentially reduced things to the most basic level—soldier against soldier (or insurgent), rifle and grenade vs. rifle and grenade. Certainly things like NVGs and reflex optics and the like will tilt things in our favor, but not enough to counterbalance the defender’s advantage. At these ranges, in these conditions, training, motivation and leadership—intangible qualities, as it were, but vital ones—become more important than Blue Force Tracker screens, JDAMs and live Predator feed. Close quarters fighting like this has been described as “a knife fight in a phone booth”, which is to my mind an accurate and visceral description.

We’ll discuss more of this in future issues. In the meantime, your homework assignment is to read one of the following: No True Glory (Bing West), House to House (David Bellavia), Phase Line Green (Nicholas Warr) or Mars Unmasked (Sean Edwards). Nerds have permission to do so on Kindle. Luddites and regular guys should do it the old fashioned way. Meantime I’ll be looking for good AARs on the recent dust-up between the Russians, Georgians and South Ossetians. If you find one let me know.

That’s two installments so far. E-mail my editor, silly whisky-tango bravo-delta that he is, and let him know if you want me to keep going with it or if I’m wasting time that could otherwise be spent drinking vodka and chasing large, hairy women.

About the author: former Sgt. Mikhail Sergei Stapeltonovich (a nom de plume) has many decades of experience in conventional warfare and special operations. Hailing from the Army of the former Soviet Republic of Romanovia, his insight remains timely and pertinent. A bromidic Cold War era NCO, his lectures range from informative to banausic. Though he’s been killed in action at least twice in undisclosed locations (most recently in Qumar), he remains mission ready, largely because no one bothered to bury his head away from his body. Mikhail has served in such varied locations as Backhairistan, Ifuvania and Kambezi, on operations as disparate as the liberation of Santa Poco and the relief of LV-426.

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THE ECHO-1 STAG-15 M-16 VN By Mike Watkins

I remember the war I have always had an interest in the Vietnam War as the evening news reports as a kid and early teenager steadfastly watching good following of Vietnam from Vietnam. When I discovered that there was a ely became interested. simulations in airsoft aka “Namsofters�, I immediat e to buy. Enter Echo 1 Then comes the ultimate decision over which rifl ngular foregrips. Echo 1 which makes an entry level M16 AEG that has tria the box which typically advertises this at the STAG-15 Series MOD16 VN on retails from $150 to $170. comes with a black Aesthetics: This newest version of the STAG-15 earlier models. Notice body, an improvement over the light grey body of er the MOD16 VN. There that Echo 1 does not market it as the M16A1 but rath ra M16 in appearance, it is a reason. While this AEG does mimic the VN-e some reason, some moddoes have a modern A2 upper body, an A2 grip and for in the stock. els are shipped with a quick detach sling point

The Echo 1 STAG-15 with the quick disconnect

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point and A2 grip.

While many Namsofters would be okay with an A2 grip and Upper, this quick detach sling point is a token nod to post-Vietnam modernity that would raise the eyebrows of most namsofters.

This is also a sticking point with me for another reason as well in that it isn’t shown in advertisement photos or on the box. If you are going to market a gun to namsofters, make it as much of an M16A1 as you can and this QD point is irrelevant.

The Echo-1 STAG-15 with non-removable A2 upper.

On a positive note, the triangular VN era grip s do have the heat shield in them which is a nice touch. In speaking with fellow namsofters about this gun, most agree that it is an excellen t entry level gun for those who want to explore Namsofting on a budget.

They suggest just covering the QD point with OD tape and adding a couple of wraps on the foregrip to mimic Vietnam-era photos of ad hoc in-the-field weapon camouflage by soldiers in-country. Add a boonie hat, some OD jungle fatigues and some authentic and inexpensive VN-era webgear from www.o ldparatrooper.com and you will have a good start on your VN impression.

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The author with the Echo-1 STAG-15 VN AEG. ng yet light weight ABS Mechanics: Echo 1 built the Stag-15 VN with a stro a fixed carrying hanbase. Specific to the M16VN, the Stag-15 VN features ing charging handle with dle on its upper receiver, which also bears a work er) AEG, the outer barrel mock dust cover. As with any mid-range (or bett securely fastened to the on the Echo 1 Stag-15 VN is made of metal, and is k capable of holding the body. At the rear of the gun, you will find a stoc large size battery.

Bushing (Ver. 3), Metal Specifications: Gearbox Type: Ver. 2, 6mm Metal th of 940mm with an inner Spring Guide (Ver. 3), 190-round mag, Overall Leng stable hop-up, weight barrel length of 363mm, Long Shaft Type Motor, adju ps and a large size batof 6.2lbs with a specified muzzle velocity of 370f tery compartment in the stock. to the strong ABS The AEG is not difficult to open thanks in part trouble and re-engage upper that can part with the cylinder without much again on closing.

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r and hop-up with upper.

The Echo-1 STAG-15 VER 2 metal mech box with lowe Performance: I measured this AEG’s performance with a MADBULL chrono.

Here are the stats: GUN:

ECHO 1 STAG-15 VN

FPS 368.2 365.9 373 358.4 369.8 373 374.6 367.5

MPS Joules 112.2276 1.259503 111.5265 1.243817 113.6906 1.292556 109.2405 1.19335 112.7153 1.270473 113.6906 1.292556 114.1783 1.303669 112.0142 1.254719

394 378 377

120.0914 115.2146 114.9098

ROF test

900

1.442195 1.327441 1.320427 910

910

BB Weight Used (g) 0.2 Average FPS 372.6727 FPS Average ROF/m 906.6667

RPM gram RPM

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to the specified As you can see, the gun, out of the box, lives up a noticeable margin avvelocity of 370 FPS and in some cases exceed it by eraging 372.7 FPS with an average ROF of 906 RPM. nt performance of AEGs Conclusion: This Echo-1 AEG lives up to their rece up is slightly difficult delivering in the high 300s with .20g bbs. The hoped to it and can set it to adjust at first but you quickly become accustom sized target at 180 feet without much of a problem. I can easily hit a manat 100 feet within a couwith a two second burst and a chest shaped target reason, have a slight ple of shots on semi-automatic. It does, for some less pronounced with bb hook to the flight pattern of the bb which becomes weights of greater than .20g. ore the fun of NamI recommend this gun to anyone who wants to expl while on a budget. Thanks softing and trying to achieve an authentic look I expected with an ABS to the metal parts in the gun, it was heavier than hold it’s own with its bodied AEG, a pleasant surprise. It certainly can nce, which is good addecent ROF and FPS if you use good care and maintena ngular grips, you get a vice for any airsofter. When you grip those tria the jungles of Southeast sense of the history of the M16 in its debut in for this exciting asAsia. Talk to other Namsofters and get a better feel pect of airsoft.

See you on the field.

-MW

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Handling Your Battle Rattle Exploring the Mysteries of Wearing Your Kit

by Richard Kilgore, BreachBangClear.com

I’ve only gone to a couple of Airsoft events, but the times I’ve been, I’ve noticed two things. First, most of the MILSIM guys (and gals) that go out there are wearing more and better kit than damn near any of the grunts I’ve ever served with or helped train, better even than some of the SWAT teams I’ve seen. Second, and honestly most irritatingly, I see guys wearing kit so improperly and sloppily that it’s all I can do not to wait until they lay down (so I can reach them) and slap a hare-lip on them. Bad enough they’re tromping around with their bootlaces hanging out and flopping around in the brush or wearing the world’s best camouflage job on just their face (leaving their throats and the backs of their necks and ears bare), but they’re wearing chest rigs down around their waist, or their a regular LBV so loose it might as well be a multi-cam mumu. The SWAT guys on the Simpsons have better sense than that! So, in the interests of helping these poor misguided souls out, I’ve decided in my own inimitable and perspicuous way to provide some much-needed advice…I also decided to write it not just for MILSIMs but for guys that haven’t gone downrange yet. Who knows, maybe some poor bastard will learn something that’ll keep him having his noggin floating a foot and a half off the deck because he’s got too much crap layered on his chest to go prone. If a “recreational operator” can learn something from it, then I’ve really done the deed.

So, no matter the vest type, how tight to put it on is typically quite the balance game. No one wants a floppy rig, but the tighter the waist area is, the better the weight distribution is. If worn semi loose, the majority of the weight will be on the shoulders. This is the suck if wearing a heavy rig for long periods. Cinching down the tightness will help distribute the weight around

your torso; however you have to draw the line where breathing becomes difficult. For kits without elastic or not enough, shock cord on the cummerbund or side adjustment can help reach the snug fit while still having some flexibility to breathe. I suggest experimenting with thick shock cord and multiple wraps of thin cord to suit the desired stretch capability.

As a part of how high or low to wear a vest, consider the interaction with a belt if you plan to wear one. Some users may have a full battle belt so will want to wear their vests high for torso flexibility, while those without may decide to wear a vest semi low for armor coverage.

If wearing a belt with gear attached, keep in mind gear placement as the vest will likely make objects harder to access. Some vests allow height adjustment of the armor plates which can be quite handy. Users may jack their plates up high if they do a lot of vehicle ops so they can bend at the waist / sit down easier while some may drop the plates a little lower to allow easier shouldering of a rifle.

On the subject of placement, be sure and test your pouch placement for accessibility. The lower front weak hand side area is going to be the quickest to access. The further away pouches are, the more difficult access will be. As an example, most place magazines in their sweet spot, then dump pouches and or IFAKs (Individual First Aid Kit) on the weak arm side. The back area offers real estate, however keep in mind access will be mostly for teammates or sustainability gear that is accessed in non combat with the vest off. For these reasons, many choose to put hydration packs on their back as the tubes still allow usability while wearing.

Once the right fit is found, it is time to deal with all that damn webbing slack. Take some time to consider if you will ever wear your vest on top of a jacket or with additional armor.

If fully confident not much adjustability is needed, cut the webbing leaving some slack and

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burn the ends with a lighter till sealed so they do not fray. If it is desired to keep the vest in tact to turn in or sell later, folding up the slack and taping tightly with duct tape is a classic solution. For those who need a bit more on the fly adjustment, I recommend ITW web-dominators as they are quick to use and generally stay in place.

Simple elastic bands are another solution, but tend to shift in placement. To be full-on ghettofabulous, rubber bands are an option, however they will break over time and tend to cause the webbing to become non flat.

Note: Always dummy-cord any item you do not wish to inadvertently make a gift of to some other assclown that will have no interest in finding you to return it.

I asked a couple guys I run with what they might like to add: “I have a few pointers I can give, but everyone wears their kit a little differently if they can get away with it. A lot of guys prefer to throw an LBE over their IBA, for instance, while some guys just attach modular pouches and pockets directly to their vest. First, after putting gear together, put it on with a full load out.

Meaning full mags, and everything else you would wear in it and on it. That way you will have no surprises on how it will feel for comfort.

Jump around, squat, sprint around also to simulate what you might do with your gear, like drawing mags from the standing, kneeling and prone, strong-hand and off-hand, you know. This also will let you know if you need to make adjustments. Second, after you have made adjustments needed, use tape to silence any noise

your gear made while doing step one. This will pay off if you make entry or have to move silently into position. The last thing you want or need is the bad guy to hear something clank or ding while moving. Third, I must remind you that to make step one and two work YOU MUST try your gear out with the proper loadout you will be wearing! If you wear body armor, put it on. If you don’t, then don’t. If you carry five mags and 2 flashbangs put those on where you wear them, and make sure you can get to them not just when you’re moving or standing up but if you’re scrunched up trying to make yourself as small a target as you can. Trust me when I say, if you forget something, then you’ll have to start over. It’s a good idea to lay everything out to insure you have all gear needed. It might sound compulsive, but hey I’ve got OCD, and just changing a couple of things can alter the entire way you wear it as well as how it feels when you’re sprinting for cover or crawling under a barrier, and especially when you’ve gone loud and it’s become a two-way range...” a former 0311/0933 now civilian SWAT officer

“One thing that always astounds me is the amount of kit guys don’t need that gets humped around, presumably because they think their LBE should be like a Swiss Army Knife or the Batman Utility Belt or something. Bullets, water and beans, is the way I always looked at it; what do I know I’ll need for my mission and what might I conceivably need? I’ve seen operators with bolt cutters on their back when a good multi-tool with a wire cutter would be sufficient, and conversely I’ve seen guys that on a daylight patrol go out without a flashlight, even though they’re working in an urban area - or a light without spare batteries, or with a GPS but no compass, that kind of thing. LBE should be modular, something you can tailor to the mission, and it should always be divided up into first-line, second-line and third-line gear. If you can carry it in an assault pack instead of on your harness, then do it, but don’t stick something vital down in

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your pack when it should be in a pouch on your webbing. I went on a tracking deal the other day with a County Sheriff unit a few weeks ago...I just took my carbine, a medium sized camelback unit with water, two MRE items (not the whole damned MRE), a hardshell jacket, two extra mags, a compression bandage and wound dressing, a cold pack, flashlight, batteries, Gerber multi-tool, a very modest sheath knife and my ballistic vest with the trauma plate in. I keep some flex cuffs and the knife on my belt, no handgun. I carry my gloves and a watch cap in a cargo pocket along with a butane lighter. I wear my watch with the wrist compass on the other wrist, and I wear a photon LED on a lanyard around my neck. I’ve gotten away largely from a loaded equipment belt or chest rigs for a short term follow-up, and you can tell the difference compared to the guys carrying a full combat loadout like they’re getting ready to go into Fallujah, especially after a few miles of busting brush.

Still seems like I carry too much, but I usually use all of the things I mentioned. I’m not sure why guys need a knife so big they can pull it from a rock to become rightful King of England, but I invariably see them when going out on an operation in a rural area. Oh yeah, I also carry one of those moleskin-type notepads and a pencil in my shirt pocket...” former 11C/LRS Soldier, now tracker assigned to a counter-narcotics unit

amaze me when I am watching the latest shootem-up action flick that the troops who are trying to be all stealthy can just ninja up on anybody.

In real life, that battle-rattle is going to make more noise than the drunk girl at last year’s Christmas party. The faster you are moving, the louder it gets. In times when noise discipline matters like high risk warrant service, and dismounted night patrols in Injun country, take the time to listen to your gear and see what can be improved. For starters, wrap some tape around your zipper handles so the rattling is nullified.

Then go through and arrange your dump pouches so the items inside are secure and not just rattling around like a giant tactical grab bag.

The meat and potatoes of gear set up is, of course, testing. My buddy explained it above, but I’ll repeat myself for you Democrats and Aggies. I just cannot tell you the number of times I have watched a “first contact” or “immediate action” drill for a unit in training and instantly been able to point out which operators failed to test their load-out before going to the field. (Oh, by the way, just kidding you Aggies.)

Some signs of failure to test are, but by no means limited to: Reaching to call for support on a radio that is buried in the bush somewhere behind you.

Proning out on a belly so loaded with gear your elbows can’t reach the ground to provide a shooting platform.

Looking at your gear after the engagement and thinking you look like a Picasso cubist painting.

Having to call a time-out (or being jerked completely off your feet) because your loose straps snagged on the humvee during dismount.

Worst of all, (yes I’ve actually seen this happen), reaching for a pistol that is no longer there.

I’ll wrap this up with a couple more pointers of my own, and then I’ll repeat myself almost nonsensically for the Foxtrot-Tangos that just aren’t paying attention. It never ceases to

If you know the mission beforehand, then customize your gear to the mission! Don’t strap an AT-4 on your back for a plainclothes PSD mis-

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sion. I know it seems like common sense, but you’d be surprised some of the things I’ve seen passed off as “concealable”…Guys running around looking like they stuffed a cereal box in their pants, with a huge “covert” pouch on their hip carrying a “Dog the bounty hunter” sized fire extinguisher of OC. Customize your gear to the mission and to you, and then practice the mission in your gear.

In a perfect world, you’ll be able to quickly identify any deficiencies and areas needed for improvement. If you live in the real world, and intel has given you a mission… then you can plan on encountering everything BUT what intel said you would. The most important thing concerning your LBE in a situation like that is knowing what it’s capable of. TEST YOUR GEAR. Have you sprinted 100 yards in your gear? Can you climb over a 6 foot wall in your gear without losing anything? Can someone drag you to cover in your gear? How fast can you throw your gear on if you are answering nature’s call when the muj brings the heat? TEST YOUR GEAR. If you’ve waited to find these things out when the real thing is happening, then you’ve set yourself, or one of your mates up for failure.

Again… TEST YOUR GEAR. We all want to look cool, but nobody looks cool in a casket. Take the time to learn what works best for you. And if you are a supervisor/team leader, take the time to run scenarios with full kit. Yes, even if it’s hot outside or the ice cream man’s already come and gone.

Set up your LBE correctly and increase your chances of coming home alive.

Swingin’ Dick Out! Join me on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/people/MadDuo/100000011730158, if you’re not too much of a sissy.

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Flyye Ind. RAV Tactical Vest Kit

By Patrick Scott

When I first learned of Flyye Industries, I was intrigued. I was hearing about a company that produced tactical kit for airsofters that rivaled the real gear in materials and workmanship. Naturally, I had to see for myself. To that end, I contacted Bob at Flyye and inquired about thier products.

What I learned from our conversations was that Flyye uses 1000D Invista Cordura materials in all of their gear. What’s more, thier MultiCam is purchased from Crye Industries themselves, making Flyye’s gear authentic MultiCam.

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For a test sample, I figured the Flyye RAV Kit was the best example of what they had to offer, as it comes with a TON of pouches. Flyye was gracious enough to grant my request for a sample unit in Coyote Brown. This was the first one they have made in Coyote, so I felt quite privileged.Something to note about thier Coyote Brown is it is darker than all of the other Replica Coyote gear out there. The reason for this is that they matched the material to what Eagle Industries is using. If you want thier gear in a color that is the same as, say, Condor’s Coyote color, then you will want to order it in Khaki.

First Impressions: Once they constructed the vest for me and I received it, I was happy to see that this is, indeed, a quality piece of gear. In fact, when compared to a real Paraclete RAV, it is actually of better construction. The stitching is somewhat better than the real one. It will even accommodate the real soft armor perfectly. In fact, I have my real Lvl IIIA soft armor in it all throughout testing.

It comes with five (5) M16/M4 magazine pouches that hold 2 each, one (1) fold-open medical pouch, one (1) night-vision pouch, one (1) double pistol magazine pouch, two (2) fragmentation grenade pouches, one (1) right opening double flash/frag grenade pouch, one (1) left opening double flash/frag grenade pouch, one (1) hydration carrier, one (1) radio pouch, one (1) triple M16/M4 magazine shingle (open-top), one (1) gas mask pouch, one (1) shotgun shell carrier, one (1) large utility pouch and one (1) medium utility pouch.

Now, many of you think that there are far too many pouches on this vest. As a former soldier, I completely understand where you are coming from. That said, my personal preference was to slightly modify the positioning of the included pouches and utilize all but the gas mask pouch, as it does not accommodate the gas mask I own. The reason I chose to do this is that in real combat, I carried much the same load. For use in airsoft, I use 30 round standard magazines, so having 10 magazines available to me is a good thing. Additionally, my team trains in such a manner that the triple magazine shingle on the back is there for them, should they need extra ammo quickly. The same goes for the 4 Fra/Flash-Bang grenade pouches as well. Keep in mind, this is a personal preference, and what I am used to.

Fit and Feel: Normally, I wear Medium size body armor. When making this piece of kit for me, Flyye asked my body dimensions and came up with Large as my size. To be frank, I wish it had been a Medium.

I had to adjust the size of the cummerbund all the way in to it’s smallest size adjustment to snug it down to my waist. However, once I did that, it fits almost perfectly. I have a little room in the chest, but it also allows for more airflow and I can breathe easier.

Even with the weight of all the pouches filled with magazines, nigh vision, radio, medical kit, flashbangs, water, etc., the vest it still quite comfortable (as far as body armor goes). Some of this is due to the padded shoulders. The pads are removable, should you prefer not to use them, but I would advise against that. Also, the internal cummerbund distributes some of the weight to your waist, further spreading the load and keeping it from all being on your shoulders.

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Movement is slightly restricted for your arms in the forward position. This just takes a little getting used to and then it’s no problem at all. This is a common issue with most tactical body armor of this type. In fact, I found that my old G.I. OTV-IBA (“Interceptor”) was even more restrictive than this vest. All in all, this is a very well put together vest that is comfortable enough for extended operations, or just the quick in and out “snatch & grab.”

Field Tests: For testing, I have used this vest in a number of different scenarios; everything from woodland environments to urban environments. It held up beautifully in all respects.

Woodland: When I used this vest in a wooded environment I was concerned that, with the additional girth of the fully loaded vest, I would be snagging every bush and tree limb I came close to. I am happy to say, that this was not the case. Now, whether this was due to the vest’s design & construction or my own field craft, I can only speculate. Either way, I was able to move throughout the woods quietly and, for the most pat, undetected. Even with all the velcro used on this RAV, it hardly made a sound.

Desert: I was expecting to get very uncomfortable very quickly, but I did not. This was a very pleasant surprise. Any soldier or Marine will tell you, “you don’t want to wear your armor unless you have to.” The reason for this is not only the possibility of over-heating, but also the weight will cause you to fatigue faster. Especially if the load isn’t balanced properly. The design of this vest distributes the load very efficiently. As in the wooded environment, I was able to move quickly and quietly.

Urban Ops: For this testing cycle, I used this vest while serving a High-Risk Bail Revocation Warrant.

The possibility of actually getting shot was very real . For this I had not only my NIJ Lvl. IIIA soft armor inserts, but also Lvl IV Tri-Curve Ballistic Rifle Plates as well. This altered the feel of the vest a little, but not by much. Mostly, I noticed the additional 8 pounds and the increased feeling of safety.

During this bail enforcement action we entered a residence in the early pre-dawn hours in order to catch our fugitive while deep asleep. In this case, the fugitive was unaware that we had kicked down his door until he awoke with zip-cuffs being applied to his wrists. As we got him dressed enough to take to jail, we discovered a sawed-off 12 guage shotgun directly under where he was sleeping on the bed, and within easy reach had he known we were coming.

The fact that I was able to move through doorways, halls, and over a fence without having any snagging issues during this action proves that although this vest is wider than most, in it’s current configuration, it’s not nearly as bad as one might think just looking at it. In fact, for me, it’s

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perfect for direct action missions where I am unsure of exactly what to expect.

Rain: When I was about to take some pictures of me wearing the vest, I was unfortunate enough to get caught in a down-pour. It began raining so suddenly that I wasn’t able to get indoors before I was soaked through. Being that this is 1000D Ivista Cordura, I had nothing to worry about when it came to the vest. The fabric’s water-proof! The Invista Technology built into the fabric of this vest repels water, keeping the internals and contents of the vest and it’s attached pouches dry. The water simply beads up and rolls off.

Conclusions: In conclusion, I would definitely suggest purchasing the Flyye Industries RAV kit (or vest alone) for use in not only aisoft, but for those of us that actually go into harms way. Keep in mind, it DOES NOT come with any type of ballistic protection. So, if you want to use it for real-world operations, I suggest you findsoft armor and plates to fit it. This full kit will have just about everything you’ll need to carry all of your essential gear for any direct action mission.

Pros: – Construction is top-notch.

– Matrials are top of the line 1000D Invista Cordura.

– More than enough pouches to get the job done.

– Adjustability of both the size and of pouch configuration (MOLLE).

– Expandability and adapability for different mission roles.

– Accuracy of replication.

– Comfort and ease of wear.

– Emergency release in case you need to get out of the armor fast.

– Manufacturer’s commitment to improving any deficiency found in thir products.

Cons: – Hydration carrier’s MOLLE straps are made for odd number of rows, making it mount off-center.

– A little big (but that is only because it was figured at the wrong size) I would like to personally thank Bob at FLyye Industries for all his help in making this review a reality and Flyye Industries as a whole for it’s dedication to making quality kit for the airsoft community. I would also like to mention that Flyye just informed me that they are going to start making high quality helmet replicas. I believe they will problably be making the MICH series (2000, 2001, 2002) helmets and maybe the IBH. I also suggested to them that they should make a quality replica of the British Army’s Mk6 helmet.

- PS

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VooDoo Tactical MOLLE Shotgun Scabbard

A significant challenge presented to modern “breaching” warriors of today is what to do with their shotgun of choice after using it to breach an entrance into a building. Sure, there are slings, but that option presents the problem of “bouncing” and getting in the way of the operator while he is on the move. So, thinking outside-of-the-box, many operators have made their own modifications to their gear, to secure their shotguns. Some of these “modifications” include homemade leg-attachment, securing devices with everything from the ol’, trusty duck tape to hook-andloop straps; after awhile, tactical gear manufacturers caught on and started to conceive a pouch, if you will, for the operator’s breaching weapon – it needed to be low-pro, MOLLE assessable, and easy to operate (i.e. not blocking the user’s motion, while allowing quick and easy assess to the shotgun). A bunch of different companies, ranging from S.O. Tech, Condor, VooDoo Tactical, Eagle Industries, etc have their own variations of this “shotgun holder”, also known as a scabbard. From “leg” to “back” attaching, and for all different ranges of varying shotgun types, there are many to choose from; but we wanted to check out VooDoo Tactical’s version, as their version was decently priced, had pretty good reviews online, and was fairly new to the market when I took interest it. I would like to thank Justin from Combat Sport Supply (www.combatsportsupply.com) for supplying us with this product for this review.

Features & Testing: What is the purpose, or need, for a shotgun scabbard? “Targeted at individuals that need to carry a shotgun as a secondary weapon or breaching tool,

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or those who rappel or engage in activities that require more security and stability than a sling will allow.” (www.militarymorons.com) Having a breaching shotgun bungee corded to your chest is tolerable during a single-room entry, but any mission that will take more then a few minutes will make your breaching weapon turn into a huge metal pole banging around on your chest – i.e. not what you want as a tactical operator.

First, before I get to the testing, how about some features of about this scabbard? First, directly from VooDoo, “This MOLLE compatible shotgun scabbard is designed to give you a safe, convenient way to transport your shotgun by strapping it to your backpack, rucksack, or padded weapons case. It can also be slung across your back with the adjustable, removable nylon web sling, allowing you to draw it quickly when needed.

A clever person will undoubtedly find many other suitable locations where the scabbard can useful to protect your shotgun from dirt, sand and weather while allowing quick and easy access.

“This scabbard is ambidextrous and has MOLLE attachment straps on both sides, allowing you the choice of mounting it on your right or left. The 29-inch long scabbard is designed to hold the Remington 870 with an 18 inch barrel and will also fit similar sized Benelli, Mossberg and Winchester shotguns. When properly fitted, the trigger should not be exposed.

“This scabbard is intended for transporting a weapon, and the chamber should be empty when used with this scabbard. Do no insert, transport, or carry a gun with a loaded chamber in the scabbard. This scabbard is not intended as a long term storage device and does not include any locking or other security mechanisms. Please practice responsible gun handling and observe all safety rules.” (www.voodootactical.net) Continuing, on both the front and back of the scabbard, there are four MOLLE attachment straps, allowing the user to mount it for left or right-handed shooting – a very nice feature; also, both the front and back of the product, as well, are covered with MOLLE webbing, allowing you to place more pouches, such as a machete scabbard, for example, externally.

Material quality? Could not tell you – VooDoo does not list what material it is made out of, but it seems to

be made very well. Seems to be 1000D Nylon, but do not quote me on that.

For the testing, I was curious to see A: if the scabbard, when mounted, would restrict movement (i.e. knock into my head while moving), B: how easy it was to assess the shotgun when the “pouch” was attached to the back of my rig, and C: could I attach other pouches to my vest rig while the scabbard was attached?

First, with the shotgun in the scabbard, and with it attached to my rig, I was actually quite surprised on how well it fared while I was moving. It did not bump into my head unless I threw my head back to look up; also, it did get snagged up on some trees and brush during testing, but once lowering it on my rig, I did not have this challenge; and no – I was still able to asses the scabbard just fine after lowering the unit as well.

Overall, it was not bad – much better then strapping the shotgun to my leg or having it bungied.

Second up was seeing if I could extract and replace the shotgun with the scabbard on the back of my vest. After getting the hang of it, I had no problem doing so. It just takes a bit to figure out where the scabbard actually is, but once you know where it is, you are good-to-go. One thing to mention, though, is that you must be in an area that is spacious, which will allow you to stretch-out without becoming engaged by enemy targets, when you replace the shotgun; to replace my shotgun, I had to completely stretch-out my arms, to get the end of the barrel into the scabbard first, before I could lower the weapon into place – not so good.

Third, could I place my other standard pouches on the back of my rig while the scabbard was attached?

Well, just like when you have a hydration compartment/pack attached to the back of your vest, you lose space – same here. Thankfully, VooDoo intergraded MOLLE webbing onto the back and front of this scabbard, allowing the operator to place all the pouches he wants. Can you fit a hydration pouch and the scabbard together? Not easily, or at all, on the three different vests I am currently running with.

Also, one major feature I did not like was that your shotgun needs to be completely “stripped” (no accessories placed on it), for it to fit in the scabbard. Taclights, sights and their mounts, etc – yup…all need to be taken off for the weapon to fit in the scabbard.

Pros:

The following is what I liked about the VooDoo Tactical MOLLE Shotgun Scabbard: • Its price – around $30.00 USD (22 EUR), and it is available at many tactical and airsoft retailers.

Also, you can order it directly from VooDoo via: http://www.voodootactical.net/Items/ms-20-8917p?&caSKU=ms-20-8917-p&caTitle=MOLLE%20Shotgun%20Scabbard%20fits%2018-inch%20Remington %20870%2c%20Benneli%20and%20Smiliar%20Gun s • Available colors: ACU, black, coyote tan, multicam, and olive drab.

• Fits shotguns with barrel lengths’ up to 18 inches (scabbard is 29 inches in total length, itself).

Shotgun examples include, but are not limited to: Remington 870 and similar sized Benelli, Mossberg and Winchester shotguns.

• Has MOLLE webbing on both the front and back, allowing the shooter to place other pouches onto the scabbard, where normally, the shooter would lose space because of the scabbard.

• Can be configured for left or right-hand shooters – has MOLLE straps on both front and back for the operator’s choice of sides.

• Lightweight – also, the fact that it, in most cases, does not get in the way of your movement.

Cons: The following is what I did not like about the VooDoo Tactical MOLLE Shotgun Scabbard: • It is a bit hard to replace your shotgun when you have extracted it from the scabbard – you will need a good deal of area to replace the weapon in the scabbard, which is not always available in a hostile environment.

• Having to “strip” your weapon of accessories before placing it in the scabbard – not good at all in my book.

• Similar to the first “con” above, it can restrict the user’s movement a bit; for example, when I jerked my head upwards, I did hit the buttstock of my longarm many times. Also, and this is not VooDoo’s fault, but with all scabbard in general, they can get snagged up on vegetation and whatnot – just remember that before purchasing any scabbards.

Conclusion: In the end, I would recommend this scabbard to many of you out there. It is an ideal choice to have if you are a breacher and are always carrying a shotgun; is it the best scabbard on the market? No – at least I

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I do not think so, but it does hold its own. Again, as in the intro, it is better then having your breaching shotgun bungied or tied to your leg, even more so hindering your movement in the field. This scabbard from VooDoo Tactical (www.voodootactical.net) receives a “A-” from me. I would, again, like to thank Justin from Combat Sport Supply (www.combatsportsupply.com) for supplying us with this product for a review, and we look forward to reviewing more of VooDoo’s line of great tactical gear in the future.

-Nick P. – AKA Forged

IOTV vs. Interceptor By: PFC Ty Hoag, U.S. Army Improved Outer Tactical Vest, most commonly known as the IOTV is the U.S. Army's new standard issue Ballistic Vest for troops in the field.

However not everyone in the Army has the pleasure of wearing this new vest. At the moment it seems that only troops being deployed into theatres of combat are being issued the vest. But there are still troops in the field that are still wearing the Army's older ballistic Interceptor vest. The IOTV is the predecessor to the Interceptor ballistic vest which has been in use by soldiers since the 1990s. The following review will compare similarities and differences between the Army's new IOTV and older Interceptor ballistic vests.

Interceptor OTV: Many pictures of U.S. Army soldiers floating around news broadcasts or Google searched images will at most times feature a soldier wearing the older Interceptor vest. Which is completely understandable seeing how the Interceptor vest has been the standard issue ballistic armor for U.S. Army soldiers since its complete production and appearance in the 1990s up until its replacement by the newer "IOTV" in mid 2007.

Up until the 1990s the U.S. Army was simply wearing body armor consisting of mostly Kevlar while using Load Bearing Equipment (LBE) to carry ammo, canteens and any other equipment they might need in the field. That changed (rather slowly) when the Interceptor vest was introduced with its Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) compatible webbing that allowed soldiers to attach ammo pouches, and equipment pouches in the most comfortable way they saw fit. MOLLE webbing covers the front, back, and side panels of the Interceptor vest. The interceptor vest is donned by simply opening the Velcro backed flap at the face of the vest and putting your arms through the side holes much like if you were putting on a t-shirt. This however at times caused problems for soldiers in the field that would attach much of their equipment to the front of the vest. The weight of magazine pouches and equipment pouches when a soldier was running or bends over could cause the front flap of the vest to open

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up, and at times would cause the vest to fall off of the soldier completely. This problem was fixed however by the addition of buckles attached to the webbing of the vest keeping the front flap closed.

When the Interceptor vest was first introduced, its ballistic protection only consisted of some thin Kevlar as well as front and back ballistic plates known as Small Arms Protective Inserts (SAPI). Shorty after the U.S. invaded Iraq it was brought to the attention of higher ups that side SAPI plates needed to be introduced due to the high amount of casualties caused bullets or shrapnel that would enter the soldier’s body on the sides or his/her body under the armpits. Soon side SAPI plate carriers and smaller SAPI plates were created to be attached to the Interceptor vest so that the left and right sides of the soldier were now protected. Although more protection was added, more weight was added as well. The only other additions to the vest were those of Kevlar neck protectors and Kevlar groin protectors which minimized casualties caused by shrapnel and lower caliber rounds such as the 9mm. However these thin Kevlar attachments are too thin to stop larger rounds such as the NATO 5.56mm and 7.62mm.

IOTV (Improved Outer Tactical Vest): It was soon decided that troops needed a new and improved vest. Although the Interceptor had seen many years of service the vest was seen as insufficient. Soon the development of the IOTV was put into process.

By mid 2007 the new IOTV was beginning to be issued to soldiers in areas of combat.

By 2008 the IOTV was standard issue equipment for most soldiers; however there are still soldiers now that don't have the luxury of being able to use this new and improved vest.

Probably the best improvement to the IOTV is that of the torso straps are simply velcroed around your stomach area and help to relieve your shoulders from carrying the entire weight of the vest. Another fact is that the IOTV is close to 4 pounds lighter than the Interceptor vest while providing more coverage to the wearer’s body. Not only does the vest provide more cover to the wearer’s body, the vest now carries the new ballistic plates known as the E-SAPI (Enhanced Small Arms Protective Insert). The neck protector which on the Interceptor had to be attached by the owner is now built in to

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the IOTV and the groin protector is simply attached in the same way as the old Interceptor vest.

The vest can be donned in two ways.

First the wearer can place the vest over his/her head and simply pull down. Second is to unfastened the left shoulder of the vest and slide it onto your right shoulder and then refastened the left shoulder of the vest. Finally the wearer simply velcros the torso straps under the front of the vest that are built to carry around 40%-50% of the vests weight rather than having all of the weight rest on your shoulders. Once that step is completed you simply lift up the front MOLLE panel of the vest and fasten the outer waistbands.

Another key addition to the IOTV is that of the emergency quick release handle which allows the wearer (or Combat Medic) to release the vest causing the vest to break into two, sometimes three pieces. This new emergency release was built in to allow the wearer to release the vest in case of a rollover or submerged vehicle. It can also be used by medics when a soldier needs immediate care and there is no time to remove the vest in a proper fashion. A medic can also treat a casualty by removing the fastenings on the left shoulder of the vest. This option can allow the medic to work on a soldier in the middle of a firefight and still give both him and the wounded soldier protection from small arms fire.

Although the emergency quick release is a great addition there have also been problems with it as well. The handle of the quick release is attached to two cables that run through the shoulder and back portions of the vest keeping the shoulders and waistbands secured to the vest. If the wearer does not check the cords at regular intervals there is the possibility that the vest could actually fall apart while the wearer is using the vest.

Although this is a problem it can be avoided by simply checking the cords every few days.Much like the Interceptor the IOTV is covered with MOLLE webbing allowing the user to attach is compatible magazine and misc. equipment pouches.

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Altogether the IOTV is an advancement years ahead of that of the Interceptor vest. Although most soldiers accept the new vest with there are still some soldiers out there that would rather prefer the older Interceptor vest. Their reasons for such preferences are of personal matters and do not need to be explored upon. Simply put the IOTV is a much welcomed and has a higher protection rating than that of the Interceptor.

-PFC Hoag.

U.S.Army Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq

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same weight and feel. The rear stock on the SR-25 mimics the stock that you would find on A P.T.W. made by Systema, a SCAR type rear sight, and a hide-away front sight that is Incorporated with the front rail system. The body is machined from aluminum with very nice trades. Also this SR-25 verEcho-1 ER-25K sion comes with a quick detach siBy: Jeremiah Mohn lencer. Even though it isn't filled with foam, it will help reduce your firing When I first realized that I would foot print up to about 10 decibels. Also be doing the review on the Echo-1 ER- in the package is a vertical fore grip, 25, I knew very little about the brand that looked to be a copy of the and the gun so I did some research.

Knight’s. A 470 round hicap is inEcho-1 as a company has been deliver- cluded, plus a battery and a wall ing mid to low priced clone AEG's with charger. some decent quality, great for beginners or the seasoned AirSoft enthusiast Internals: thats just looking for an extra gun to fill a back up roll. Echo-1 clones the Now, this where this gun comes tried and true Tokyo Marui Airsoft into its own. The Echo-1 ER-25 comes guns with even a few upgrades such as a with a 7mm reinforced gear box that metal body, 7mm metal bearings, ect. shoots over 400fps right out of the box.

As for SR-25's it seems that in the last The internals are already upgraded with year or so every Airsoft gun maker on a polycarbonate piston with steel rack, the planet is rushing to make a copy, so chromolly 3/4 cylinder, vented polyI went to my local Airsoft gun shop to carb piston head,metal spring guide, get my hands on the competition. and high torque motor. The upgrade Basic Reatures: Compared to the other SR-25's on the market it comes in about the

that really caught my eye is that the gun comes stock with an active braking mosfet set up.

Now, I know what your thinking:

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“what the ‘H’ is an active braking mosfet?” Well, this eliminates the current draw through the standard trigger setup and turns it into a low current snap switch, which allows the motor to run 33% more efficiently, and also helps your battery last for more shots before it dies on you in the field. The active breaking helps dissipate the residual electrical current after you release the trigger and helps to stop the motor in the same spot every time. This means that the piston is staged to the same spot every time you let off the trigger (in semi auto of course).

guns don't usually shoot this far. So get into the habit of aiming low.

Conclusions:

Over all, I say this gun is a winner in my book. It comes with alot of extras unheard of in the 300 dollar price bracket. Heck, even for the 500 dollar price bracket. The Echo-1 ER25K is a gun that can grow with you as your needs change. For instance: Right out of the box this gun will help you keep pace with the guys who have 100's of dollars in their gear box alone. And, when the time comes, you can easily Another awsome feature is the use convert this gun in to an auto sniper of a crane stock. The gun comes with a roll by inserting A 150% or higher 9.6 volt 1500mah 4/5c NiCd battery, so spring and installing a new selector finding extra batteries are a breeze. switch; an upgrade that costs under 50 dollars in parts. Throw in a tight bore Performance: barrel, and you have a gun that out performs auto snipper rifles that have Right out of the box this gun is a more than a 1000 dollars invested into monster, capable of accurately hitting them. I am glad to see more companies head shots at 50 meters. It has a very listening to the players to see what feanice hop up tune ability and a decent tures are important to us; and deliverrate of fire (even in full auto). I would ing at a price we can all afford. I look defiantly suggest the use of .25g or forward to see what other goodies come heavier weight of bbs to help maximize down the Echo-1 line in the future. the accuracy of this gun. The stock sights are what you might find on a real -JM rifle which come pre-zeroed at 100 yards. The only down side is, airsoft

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True to the faith of mimicking real life firearms, Top Tech is proud to present its new Pneumatic Blow Back system to its

line of airsoft guns.Conventional airsoft blowback utilizes tow hook springs to mimic real life bolt actions, which often lead to excess wear and tear and poor reliability in the gear box.

To alleviate the problem of conventional systems, Top Tech has independently developed the Pneumatic Blow Back system; a piston driven, gas operated mechanism to better mimic real life bolt actions.

This new technique utilizes compressed air to move the bolt, which enables the action without adding extra stress to the gearbox.

This class leading system represents a significant milestone in the airsoft industry.

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Gentex Helmet Suspension System

hardware and parts to complete installation. This includes:

By Frank Borelli (courtesy of BORELLI CONSULTING)

I know and appreciate the value of Kevlar helmets. That said, the military suspension system was a sure fire way for me to get a headache when I had to wear the helmet for more than an hour or two at a time. Putting a cut section of foam padding at the top (affectionately called a “donut”) helped, but still, the sweat band and padded net just didn’t make it comfortable for me. Enter Gentex and their replacement suspension system. After about five minutes of work and a few minutes of size adjustments, I had replaced the old suspension system in my helmet and now have a comfortable to wear Kevlar.

I started out with a standard issue Kevlar helmet - such as the military has had for decades now. I remember being issued such in the early '80s when I was on active duty. The suspension system in them is horrid though. To switch this over to the Gentex system is pretty easy, and the end result is so much more comfortable that there is absolutely no comparison.

The proper complete name for this product is: "PASGT Helmet Adjustable Pad and Four-Point Retention Upgrade Kit".

The Gentex kit comes with all necessary

* Retention assembly (the strap part) * Six screws * Six A-nuts * Two nylon plugs (kinda like rivets but we'll get to that) * Eight specifically sized strips of Velcro * Six oval pads * Two half-moon pads The components, shown right, are all the parts that are required to install the suspension and padding kit. For tools you will need a pair of pliers, a regular screw driver and a hammer. The hammer doesn't have to be a regular carpenters hammer. It can be smaller.

Obviously, before installing the Gentex kit you have to remove all the old hardware and chin strap. The holes left by the chin strap won't be used by the Gentex system and the two nylon plugs are provided to fill them. It's simple enough to tap the plugs in using the hammer and when they are in as far as they're going to go you simply cut or break off the remaining material so that they're fairly flush with the helmet surface.

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Two of the screws provided, along with two of the A-nuts, are used to fill the front and rear suspension mounting holes. They won't be used and just don't look right if you leave them alone.

Once the old hardware is out, the chin strap holes have been plugged with the nylon plugs and you've got those front and rear screw holes filled, you need to put in the velcro strips.

The diagram to the right shows placement for them. The instructions for the kit tell you in what order to install them. Yes, it does matter. How you place the front, rear and center strips directly affects how you place those that go on angle.

Once the velcro strips are in place you need to mount the suspension strap. At each end of the straps are three holes allowing you to adjust your installation for longer or shorter heads.

As weird (or funny) as that may sound, with comfort as your end goal it's important to make sure the straps are installed as close as possible to where you want them. Sure, the straps are adjustable for length after they're installed, but maximize your comfort and versatility by installing the straps to your greatest advantage up front. Use the other four screws and A-nuts to put in the suspension straps.

When you're done, if you've done everything right, the helmet will fit your head snuggly without feeling too tight. If it does feel tight, adjust the pads / foam layers. With a comfortable and stable fit you should be able to wear the helmet for extended periods of time without getting a headache. A few weeks back I wore mine for about ten hours with no issues. Additionally, because of the customized and snug fit of the helmet, I didn't have to worry about it jiggling around on my head as I ran, did PT, etc.

This is, in my opinion, a truly worthy investment. Check out Gentex online for more information about the company and their products.

Stay safe!

-Frank Borelli Original Posting: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/evals/armor/gentex.htm Printed with permission from Borelli Consulting

Proper placement of the pads, per Gentex, is shown in the diagram to the right. However, placement doesn't have to be exactly as shown. The half-moon shaped pads DO need to go in the crown / center. The six oval shaped pads are placed with three to the front and three in the back. Space them so that they fit your head with maximum comfort and stability, taking into consideration that the velcro strips need to hold them in place.

Each pad is actually like a felt pouch that contains three seperate foam layers (as shown right). If you need more room inside your helmet then you can take out one or two of the foam layers to customize the fit to your particular noggin.

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Warrior Art: the French Connection David Reeder

If you’re a fan of tactical art, the really good stuff, then you already know who Dick Kramer is. Dick has been doing SWAT and military artwork for many years now, with color artwork so well done and so finely detailed that when my son first saw the new print up on my wall he wouldn’t believe it was something a real live person had drawn with his hands! Surely something that well done had to have been rendered on a computer from a photograph!

Well, there’s another artist out there now that is generating a lot of talk, only instead of drawing and painting SWAT units, Special Forces operators and USMC Scout-Snipers he’s doing prints of GIGN (Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale), RAID (unité de Recherche, d'Assistance, d' Investigation et de Dissuasion) and Greece’s EKAM (Eidikes Katastaltikes Antitromokratikes Monades)—you see, he’s from France, and he’s good.

David Andro says he was always interested in Special Operations as a whole and as a possible subject for his muse, but didn’t really start drawing them until he spent the better part of 2 days riveted to his computer screen, following a tactical operation on-line as it happened in real-time. That operation was the storming of Air France Flight 8969, on the tarmac of Marignane Airport in Marseille, Christmas Eve 1994, when GIGN counter-terrorist operators stormed an airbus full of hostages and four armed terrorists.

“I have always been ascinated with the courage and determination of these men,” says Andro, “and the assault at Margnane was a revealing moment for me. Ever since that operation I’ve wanted to draw nothing but this subject. The first ‘tactical’ picture I drew was of Los Angeles Police SWAT men—it was not as good as I would have liked, but I had started.”

Perhaps it wasn’t, by his standards, but certainly the work he’s doing now is nothing short of outstanding. His first professional contract was providing twelve illustrations for the TR Equipment company, and things have been constantly gaining momentum from there.

David’s favorite medium is pencil. “..for the most realism, to be accurate as possible. I’ve drawn this way almost exclusively since 2005.’ When asked if he had a personal “favorite” artist of his own, he replies, “I don’t really have an artist ‘favorite’, but it is Dick Kramer who really inspired me to try tactical artwork, I appreciate him enormously. He is a great artist, has always been very supportive and always answers my emails.”

In the last few years David has had the enviable opportunity to meet and spend time with tactical operators

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from many different units and countries. In addition to those previously mentioned, he’s drawn men from the CT unit of 1er RPIMa (1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment), the British Special Air Service, US Navy SEALs, Marine Reconnaissance and police SWAT units of many different nationalities.

How cool is that?

Though David hasn’t been to this side of the pond yet, he hopes to visit here soon. “I have always been intrigued by the USA,” he laughs.

“In my youth I always watched TV series such as the A-Team, Starsky and Hutch, ChiPs and others. I would like one day to join the NRA, because a country whose citizens are without weapons is a dictatorship…a country which does not trust its citizens to be armed does not deserve to exist.”

Doorkicker of the 1er RPIMa

Some of us here might argue with the choice of Ponch and John as heroes, but it’s hard to argue with his stance on gun control.

Scout Sniper of the 3/1 Marines

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David works or has worked in a factory to support himself for many years. Asked what his long-term goals are, he doesn’t hesitate. “I hope someday to be an artist as good and successful as Dick Kramer!” he laughs, “and I want to come to the United States to meet American women!”

In the meantime he continues to draw the tactical operators he holds in such high esteem, and frankly, given how this artwork inevitably turns out, I have little doubt he’ll achieve the success he aspires to.

You can learn more about David Andro, view his on-line gallery and most importantly buy copies of his prints at www.DavidAndro.com. If you visit him there, be sure and leave a message in his guestbook and let him know where you heard about him.

-DR (Editor’s Note: Our friends at Going Loud tell me they will soon be carrying a few of David’s designs on t-shirts and sweatshirts on their website. TAR)

David, with operators of GIPN, the Groupes d'Intervention de la Police Nationale.

GIPN deploys from nine different locations around France. This team is from Rennes. (artist’s photo, 2006)

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EVENT REVIEW: OPERATION STAR­ BURST, 25APRIL09, CORPUS CHRISTI, TX All photos courtesy

Review by Capt. Sal Zuniga.

Teams present: TAMUCC ROTC, ODA 204, ODA 956/Bad Co, Gunz4Hire, Rogue Militia, Parade of Scars, Sweeper Team, DefconAirsoft, Force Recon, Collateral Damage

OPN STARBURST 25 April 09, Oso Creek, South Texas Background Scenario: US Forces had finally stopped enemy Karankawa Forces along the Oso Creek. In an effort to break the deadlock along the river, Karankawa Forces attempted a “Hail Mary” play with commandos crossing the creek at the far Eastern end of the front. US aerial assets spotted the commandos crossing and the US Ground Command immediately sent forces to stop the crossing. Thus the stage was set for one of Corpus Christi’s largest Airsoft games to date.

Sixty players, ranging from individuals and ten organized Airsoft Teams, from all over South Texas came to participate in Operation STARBURST. The event was hosted by ODA 204/1st SFAOC and

NZ 4 HIRE

of ODA204 and GU

DEFCONAIRSOFT.COM both based out of Corpus Christi, TX, with the goal to bring all teams and interested airsofters to a large scale MILSIM event. Prior to STARBURST most of the teams had never played in such a large game. Players and organized clubs/teams were task organized into two forces, the US Forces and Karankawa Forces, which each side having a Force Commander and Squad Leaders. Organized clubs/teams were kept together with their Team Leader serving as the Squad Leader, and in some cases, like the Team Bad Company/ODA 956, were large enough to form a small Platoon on the US side with two squads. A large number of active duty and reserve military personnel attended for the first time and were impressed with the organization and knowledge level of the players and clubs. “The Organized clubs impressed me with their load-outs, kit, and assigned positions,” stated Stephen Z, a member of the Texas Army National Guard, playing for the first time.

Scenario Setup and Rules: This game was played using 1st Special Forces Airsoft Command Rules con-

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cerning medic ropes (or lifelines) and dead rags. If a player was hit, he stayed at the location where he (or she) was hit, calling for medical assistance, any player on their team could approach them and untie the five knots in the “wounded” player’s lifeline and the “wounded” player was back in play, get hit again and the player had to head back to the nearest spawn point.

be a well coordinated, tactical effort on the part of both teams,” remarked ODA 204/1stSFAOC Operations SGT Leal.

The Initial Battle: The Karankawa Army had the initial field position (indicated in Red below), and was given 15 minutes to array their forces on the field.

With 28 members, they had to contend with holding their objectives and be able to counterattack if the situation called for it.

The spawn points were marked with a 3 foot stake with two colored cups, if one side controlled the spawn point, then their color cup would be stacked on top of the other team’s colored cup. The spawn points were also the objectives for the scenario with the Karankawa Army having to defend each of their 3 river crossing sites. The US Forces started with one spawn point and had the ability to place an additional one anywhere on the field, but once placed, it remained there throughout the day.

Karankawa Forces defending an objective (stake with their colored cup)

The Scenario was divided into 3x45 minute battles, in between each battle, there was a 30 minute break so that the sides could adjust plans and strategies.

Each battle would then pick up where the last fight left off, meaning if a team had lost an objective in the last battle, it remained lost at the beginning of the next fight. Throughout the day a raffle was conducted, and prizes like a DBOY M4 and tactical eye protection were given away. The playing field was large (1 Square Kilometer) and had numerous trenches, wood lines, and concrete structures in addition to the creek bed area that allowed for teams to effectively employ snipers, support weapons, and even a compressed air bazooka! “This was not going to be a simple fight, even before the scenario started, looking at the objectives this was going to

Numerous trenches offered the Karankawa Forces good cover, but the dense brush caused a lack of coordination by any other means other than radio.

When the battle started, K Forces gave ground and established a line that eventually was pushed back to the beachheads. Two US squads from Texas A&M Corpus Christi ROTC and South Texas Gunz 4 Hire attempted an end run on the flank in order to find the crossing sites but the Karankawa Forces moved elements to block the effort. This battled end at this point and both returned to the Assembly Area to adjust their plans and tactics. Both teams had maps with a grid system to help coordinate their plans, this no doubt added to the MILSIM event with teams being able to battle track and use designated recon teams. The Karankawa Recon Team initially seized the US mobile spawn point, but US forces were able to deal with the rear area threat. One player Redz stated, “This was the first time that I have actually been able to play as being part of an organized unit.

It was a whole new experience; moving, attacking, and defending as a coordinated unit. The communication line seemed to be an extremely vital role in

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the outcomes of each of the scenarios.”

Assault on the Crossing Sites: The second 45 minute battle picked up where the first left off, the Karankawa Army attempted to draw the US Forces into a “V” shaped engagement zone, and initially were successful in causing losses, delaying the US assault. The Karankawa Forces used snipers and supporting weapons in good defensive positions to block US assaults.

taking sniper and small arms fire from the area South of the crossing site. ODA 204 and TAMUCC ROTC after a long struggle with a sniper and a fortified Karankawa trench complex, succeeded in pushing through to the shoreline. The battle ended as all three of the crossing sites were under US control.

The last game had the roles reversed with the US Forces defending the crossing sites and the Karankawa Forces attacking, that battle ended with US Forces successfully defending the field, despite taking heavy casualties.

Conclusion: “Well all I can say I had a very good time at the most organized event, it was planned out better than some OP's up north,” said E2 of Gunz4Hire.

Being that this was the first large scale organized MILSIM event for South Texas Airsoft Players that sentiment was shared by a great many players. Players throughout the area are looking forward to the next operation. “I gotta say, it was great to finally meet other teams and everyone played a helluva game!” stated Ironman from DefconAirsoft. OPN Starburst achieved the goal of bringing the South Texas Airsoft Community together and grow the sport.

Bad Company/ODA956 attacking Karankawa Positions

Example of a Karankawa Defense Position

The US squads then began to focus on the flanks of the K Force defense, causing the Karankawas to withdraw to the shoreline. Gunz4Hire acting as a Recon Element for the US Forces engaged a Karankawa Recon Element while it completed its infiltration mission to flank the Western crossing site.

Bad Company/ODA 956 pushed through heavy contact in the center seizing the center crossing site,

-SZ

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US Force Cdr directs troops to move out to the left

TAMUCC ROTC Squad on the attack with Gunz4Hire on the moveODA

204, ROTC, and Gunz4Hire discuss strategy for next battle Bad Company/ODA 956

STARBURST Game Brief

Gunz4Hire

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ODA 204/2d Grp/1stSFAOC, Event Organizers

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