THE Airsoft Magazine
AIRSOFT ACTION
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ORTH £100-W O FROM OF PYR YE ENOLA GA
RIFLES:
OSW ASG DSA SA-58 REDWOLF MG34 TM PRO HUNTER
SITES: EVENTS: T F&O: THE DEPO DRAGON’S LAIR
INSIDE AIRSOFT
FEBRUARY 2014
REPORTS FROM AIRSOFT ARMOURY AND ENOLA GAYE
BIG BOYZ TOYZ
THE AMAZING AND MUCH-LOVED DOUGLAS DC-3
PRACTICAL PISTOL
BRUSHING UP YOUR PISTOL SKILLS WITH AZURA TRAINING
LEST WE FORGET: DAN MILLS AND MATT LIMB OBE ON THE GREAT WAR AND D-DAY
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FEBRUARY 2014 - £4.50
Y GAME IT R A H C F L O W D RE 2 MONSTERS BALL
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Editor: Nigel Streeter Assistant editor: Gareth “Gadge” Harvey Graphic design: Anna Makwana Ad design: Anna Makwana Publisher: Nigel Streeter Cover Photograph: Spectre Airsoft Media Web: http://spectreairsoft.wordpress.com/
Full UK 12-issue subscription rate: £66 For overseas prices visit: www.airsoft-action.co.uk
Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Upper Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire, WE13 6PL Tel: 01684 878 003 Web: www.airsoft-action.co.uk ©Calibre Publishing Limited 2014 Distribution: Distributed to the newstrade by Comag Magazine Marketing, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE T: 01895 433 800 Copyright © Calibre Publishing Limited 2014. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the publisher in writing. The opinion of the writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions prior to print.
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Got something to say? A question for our experts? An article or article idea? Drop us a line and let us know. Either email the editor (nige@airsoft-action.co.uk), write to us at the Calibre Publishing address above, or talk to us on Twitter or Facebook.
R
ight, that’s got Christmas and New Year out of the way - I hope you all had a great time and the big fat fella brought you everything you wanted! Just in case you didn’t realise, 2014 holds some special significance for the airsoft community, particularly here in the UK. “Our game” (as we often call it), like it or not has deep roots in the re-enactment, or re-creation of military activities. I know there are many different strands of gameplay and not everything is about putting on camo and wearing the latest Gucci kit, but the bottom line is that pretty much everything we play revolves around a force-on-force combat scenario. This year sees the anniversary of two events that, quite literally, shaped our future and had a profound effect not only on the UK, but the rest of the World. I am, of course, talking about the two World Wars. 2014 is the 96th anniversary of the start of World War One and the 70th anniversary of D-Day. Many governments have said this will be the last year they will hold official memorials, due to the dwindling number of survivors. On a personal note, I think this is an insult to all those that have gone and those that will follow - we should remember, always. In our own way, I think that is what we are doing when we take on the part we chose to play in airsoft, whatever that part may be. Without those that have served and are still serving, we would not have the game we enjoy so much. Over the coming months Airsoft Action hopes to remember and recognise the contribution and sacrifices of the many who were involved in these conflicts, by running a series of articles written by those with first-hand knowledge of what “real” war is like and, if you see an old soldier in the street, don’t be too proud to go and shake his hand and say “thank you”. It’s the least we can do… Nige
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CONTENTS
CONTENTS
AIRSOFT ACTION – FEBRUARY 2014
30
FEBRUARY 2014
6
AIRSOFT NEWS
8
READERS’ GALLERY
The latest developments in the world of airsoft Cool photos taken by Airsoft Action readers
12 RIFLE: ASG DSA SA-58 OSW
We look at ASG’s re-working of this classic rifle
16 SITE: F&O - THE DEPOT
We check out this massive CQB site in Glasgow
21 EVENT: REDWOLF CHARITY GAME
Nige reports from an amazing day at Blue Streak Airsoft
26 RIFLE: RWA MG34
An exclusive report on RedWolf’s awesome Maschinengewehr 34
30 DEBATE: M-PHWOAR OR M-BORE?
Are there simply too many airsoft M4s? We asked… You answered…
32 PRACTICAL PISTOL: AZURA TRAINING
We spend a day learning how to get our pistol drills right
36 THE GREAT WAR: LEST WE FORGET
2014 is 96th anniversary of the start of WW1 and Dan Mills starts a personal journey through the events of the “war to end all wars”
40 KIT: S.W.A.T. VTG-X BFG
We get our hands on SWAT’s latest incarnation of the VTG
43 INSIDE AIRSOFT: AIRSOFT ARMOURY
Two years on, we go back to see the changes at this popular airsoft retailer
48 EVENT: MONSTERS BALL 2
Chainsaw-swinging monsters and brain-eating zombies attack in Bio/ Britain’s latest nightmare
52 RIFLE: TOKYO MARUI PRO HUNTER STAINLESS VSR10
TM’s pimped up rifle really does come with a bang - but how well does it shoot?
56 NORMANDY: THE LONGEST DAY
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On 6th June 1944 the D-Day landings took place, Matt Limb OBE looks back at some of the events of Operation Overlord
60 SITE: DRAGONS LAIR
Nearly three years after switching from paintball to airsoft, we take a trip back to this family-run site in Essex
65 INSIDE AIRSOFT: ENOLA GAYE
Pyro can make a huge difference to your game so we spent a day with the people behind the smoke
68 COMPETITION: WIN £100-WORTH OF ENOLA GAYE PRODUCTS
Enola Gaye are offering one lucky Airsoft Action reader the chance to win £100-worth of their products
69 BILLY BASICS
Billy gets all fired up by motivation and passes on some tips that can help you too
73 SKILLS: REVOLVERS
Part 2 in the series looking at this very useful but often overlooked airsoft weapon
76 COLD WAR WARRIOR: BRITISH INFANTRYMAN LATE 1980S
Gareth “Gadge” Harvey reflects on the changes made following the Falklands War
80 BIG BOYZ TOYZ: DOUGLAS DC-3
Author Simon Chambers explains why he has such great fondness for this wonderful aircraft
84 BOOKSHOP
An Exclusive Airsoft Action Offer from Military Pocket Books
85 BOOK REVIEW: SILENCER - ANDY MCNAB
Nige gets his nose into Andy McNab’s latest Nick Stone novel
86 SITE DIRECTORY
If you’re looking for somewhere to play, you’re sure to find somewhere here
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OBITUARY MIKHAIL KALASHNIKOV
RIP MIKHAIL KALASHNIKOV 10 November 1919 - 23 December 2013 THE CREATOR OF THE AK47 DIES PEACEFULLY IN HOSPITAL AGED 94
A
s this month’s issue was about to go to press, we were all saddened in the office to hear of the death of Mikhail Kalashnikov – the man who changed modern firearms forever. There is not a single soldier, airsofter, military enthusiast or even video game player in the world who has not heard of the legendary AK47! Dying peacefully after a lengthy illness in hospital, the Russian innovator who always claimed he would rather have invented a world-beating tractor than rather than a weapon passed away aged 94.
Airsoft Action, while never wanting to celebrate war or killing itself, would however like to take some time to look at the exemplary life of the man who did not invent the modern assault rifle, but instead perfected existing concepts and created not only a weapon but an icon of the modern world. Hailing from humble beginnings within a family of Russian peasants exiled to Siberia, Kalashnikov started his career as a mechanic in a tractor factory. At the outbreak of the Second World War his technical aptitude had him assigned as a mechanic in a T34 tank unit (and he later became a commander in his unit) until he was wounded in action. During his stay in hospital Mikhail Kalashnikov heard ‘frontovik’ frontline soldiers complain about their rifles and sub machine guns and decided to look into creating a better weapon to defend the Motherland. Kalashnikov’s first prototype was an improved SMG but this failed to find favour with the Red Army, and his design lost out to another model, but it was enough to get him noticed by the Soviet top brass. Appointed as a designer within the Red Army’s small arms development unit, Kalashnikov next tried his hand at a semi-automatic carbine using a new 7.62 cartridge – once again his design was unsuccessful and it would not be until the immediate post war years he would rise to fame (and relative fortune). Entering into an assault rifle design competition in 1946, Mikhail Kalashnikov put down the blueprints for the rifle which would forever be ‘shorthand’ for the Eastern Bloc, guerrilla
warfare, freedom fighters and even find its way onto Mozambique’s national flag… the AK47. With the runaway success of the mechanism of the AK47, Kalashnikov went on to almost single handedly redesign the Soviet small arms system with the creation of the AKM, a lightweight and cheaper to produce stamped steel version of the AK47, and the PK, RPK and PKM series of machine guns. To this date over 100 million variants of Kalashnikovs’ designs have been made worldwide, either in the former Soviet Union or under licence worldwide and find favour with Soldiers, Target Shooters, PMC companies, Special Forces and regrettably Terrorists – the latter saddening the AK47’s creator greatly. For a man so inextricably tied to the armaments industry, it’s interesting to remember that he always wished he could have been renowned for making better farm machinery or life-saving equipment and blamed the Nazi invaders of his homeland for forcing him down a warlike path. Kalashnikov leaves behind him an impressive legacy, a lengthy list of international awards, schools and study groups named after him and even the aforementioned inclusion of his design in a Nation’s flag but it will be the famous AK47 for which he will be remembered centuries on. Whether you feel his invention was for good or ill, it’s a strong argument that few other men have changed the face of modern warfare so drastically. Consider this, if you ask the average man in the street, or even your nan to name an assault rifle, the chances are they will say… AK47.
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NEWS THE LATEST AIRSOFT HEADLINES
AIRSOFT NEWS BRITISH AIRSOFT SHOW UPDATE With just a month to go until the doors open at The British Airsoft Show 2014, if you haven’t already got your tickets, then now’s the time to do so! This year the show runs for a full three days, from the 14th - 16th February and is again at Stoneleigh Park, in Warwickshire. To help ease the problems of getting into the show and the resultant queues, there will be main entrances at both ends of the show. The show is held in 24,000 square feet of warm, dry indoor space and features loads of stands to browse and activities to try, plus more guns, kit and gear to buy than you are ever likely to see in once place. Exhibitors already confirmed include RedWolf, Just BB Guns, Enola Gaye, Pro-Airsoft Supplies, Swindon Airsoft Supplies, Only BB’s, Land Warrior, Stirling Airsoft, Red Alert Airsoft, Beltec, Cixi Xiangmei Component Shop, JD Airsoft, BadgerTac plus many more! Of course we will be there too and hope to have one or two guests with us as always. Don’t forget, in the very unlikely event that you want to take a break from airsoft heaven, you could always take a stroll round the British Shooting Show and drool over the real-steel kit on display… Advance tickets are on sale now, so don’t miss out - either telephone the ticket hotline on 01472 241439 or go online to www.britishairsoftshow.com save money and get fast entry. See you there!
NEWS Phew. Another year gone and
Christmas is but a bauble in the rear view mirror already! We are always looking forward at UKAPU and we start the new year with new hosting and as such a new look to the website and forums. The migration has not been painless and due to some issues with how it was originally hosted we have had to lose a lot of the original content I’m afraid. Another side effect is that all forum members will need to re-register. I apologise for the inconvenience this might cause
PTS DEBUTS AT HONG KONG TOY & GAMES FAIR
HONG KONG, CHINA (December 16, 2013) – PTS Syndicate (PTS), the exclusive global licensee of a wide variety of airsoft products and brands announced today that it will showcase both prototypes and bestsellers at the Hong Kong Toy & Games Fair 2014 (January 6-9, 2014) which marks the second year to exhibit for the industry-leading brands. True to its namesake, Professional Training and Simulation (PTS) delivers the most realistic shooting experience available. Whether for non-lethal training applications or for civilian sporting, PTS guns and accessories allow users to safely rehearse live-fire drills and scenarios while still maintaining the look and feel of their real steel counterparts. Every PTS gun and accessory is the byproduct of real-world experience. And it’s precisely that battlefield experience that makes the PTS product line the only choice for creating the most realistic scenarios possible. With innovative design, precision engineering and premium-grade materials, PTS is about one thing and one thing only: delivering the experience. In addition to a complete lineup of products, the booth will feature a mini-simulation area where attendees can test drive the PTS guns and accessories. PTS will display a variety of airsoft accessories, guns, apparel, and lifestyle offerings, including: * PTS Mega Arms MKM AR15, which is Gas operated recoil blowback rifle airsoft gun, featured GTR3H Billet Lower Receiver with flared magazine well, Billet Upper Receiver with KeyMod handguard and skeletonized trigger…you may experience it at our booth. * A series of accessories: Sling Mount, Charging Handle, Flash Hider, Silencers, Butt Stock, Rail, Butt Stock and Magazines. * Training Equipment: Smith Optics Elite eyewear, Ops-Core FAST Base Jump Military Helmet, High Speed Gear tactical gears, Tactical Tailor nylon gears, S&S Precision gears and equipment, Ares Gear belt and OTG Kydex Holsters. The complete line of PTS products and offerings are available online, at retailers, and on airsoft game fields throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States. To learn more about PTS airsoft guns and accessories, please visit booth 3E-D02 or visit www.ptssyndicate.com
but please please please spare a few moments to sign up again. All the discounts are still there and you need to be on the forums to capitalise on them. We’ve also set up a new info@ ukapu.org.uk email account so if you’re not sure who you need then queries can be sent to this and then redirected accordingly. A small step but one we hope will help further streamline the association and your interactions with us! As more changes come on line you’ll be the first to know either in this column or on our social media pages. There is a lot more to come from UKAPU over the next 12 months so please if you’re not a member take a moment to check us out and maybe join. Until next month
Phil Bucknall Chairman, UKAPU www.ukapu.org.uk
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READERS’ GALLERY SEND YOUR PICS TO NIGE@AIRSOFT-ACTION.CO.UK
READERS’ GALLERY
AIRSOFT ACTION READERS SEND IN THEIR PERSONAL SNAPSHOTS FROM SKIRMISHES ACROSS THE UK AND FURTHER AFIELD…
Romeo 01 from The Dutch Raiders kitted up!
Mike Brownfield at Dragon’s Lair Operation: Grinch “Santa’s got a bran d new Gat!” Tom Mickleborough at UCAP Sandpit in Aliens Colo nial Marine Load Out with Snow Wo lf M41A Pulse Rifle and Dan Wesson 6” Chrome Revolver
Jo Chambers - WW2 style at Dropzone Airsoft
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READERS’ GALLERY SEND YOUR PICS TO NIGE@AIRSOFT-ACTION.CO.UK
from A selection of pics rberus a recent game at Ce s Airsoft - The Work
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THERE’S LIFE In The Old G al Yet
SCOTT ALLAN GETS HIS TEETH INTO ASG’S VERSION OF A CLASSIC, BUT DOES IT COME UP SHORT?
F
SCOTT ALLAN
Scott has worked in airsoft retail for many years – and played airsoft long before that. He likes big, heavy guns, loud explosions and MilSim games in particular
AL rifles are always going to float many people’s boats and have long been loved by the British market. But is this modern US version going to have the same appeal? Action Sport Games (ASG) are a Danish Distributor of all things airsoft. From their excellent Blaster BBs to their Ultimate parts range, their gear is generally liked by airsofters all over Europe. ASG commissioned their own version of the SA 58 after the collapse of Classic Army (not really a collapse, more of a pathetic withdrawal from the airsoft market). ASG have done the right thing in my eyes by bringing in good value OEM rifles, rather than the hard to justify hefty prices that the Classic Army range demanded. So now you can love Denmark for bacon, beer and airsoft goods! The ASG SA58 is pretty much a straight copy of the Classic Army version, which is a tough act to follow as the CA was a very nice replica. It was solid with a lovely finish and nothing creaked
or flexed like it shouldn’t. The OSW, or Offensive Suppression Weapon, is a nice compact rifle that has everything a player wants without being an M4 or AK variant - and is something I am deeply thankful for!
REAL STEEL VERSION The OSW is a shortened “para” rifle with a folding stock and 11” barrel. The calibre is the mighty .308 round (aka 7.62mm) so really, this is a modern take on an old rifle. Given that the FAL, or Fusil Automatique Leger (Light Automatic Rifle), was originally made by FN Herstal in Belgium who now make the 7.62mm SCAR H, it is surprising to see that the old FAL still has life in it yet. I suppose you could quote Expendables 2: “You can’t beat a classic”. The FAL system has seen service since the 50’s and that’s even before the space race – so quite a long time ago. The FAL can be seen all over the world, most notably in Africa alongside the
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THE ARMOURY ASG DSA SA-58 OSW
“The OSW is a nice compact rifle that has everything a player wants without being an M4 or AK variant and is something I am deeply thankful for!” H&K G3. DS Arms Inc. was founded in 1992 and specialise in the manufacture of firearms, largely the SA58 platform and are popular with both the civilian market as well as several police forces worldwide. With everything done in-house, they expect the very best from their brand and rifles so it’ll be interesting to see how the airsoft version measures up.
AIRSOFT VERSION Externally the Classic Army version was very nice although the upper receiver was anodized and the lower was painted, which I found out whilst trying to give it a ‘distressed’ look many years ago. The ASG version appears to be largely made by Jing Gong (aka Golden Eagle) and generally has good quality parts throughout the rifle. While it is heavier than the CA version this replica is very nice although the cheaper construction means you have cast metal instead of CNC but that shouldn’t be a concern. Everything that needs to be metal is metal and feels reliable. This is the Pro Line range from ASG so they insist on higher quality parts than the standard Jing Gong type rifle, and being from a European distributor you can have a bit more confidence that there is some quality control in place – or at least as good as it gets for airsoft. Like most Chinese clone rifles, the power is on the toastie side for the UK market. Our limits are quite a bit lower than our Asian and US cousins, while they run around happily around the 420 mark most people in this country baulk at anything over 350fps. On paper this all looks pretty nice and everything really does look like quality. The Classic Army retails £420 and while it has a nicer finish in certain areas, it really isn’t £170 better. So really what we have here is a bargain at £250. You’ve got all the rail space you could ever want, the battery is housed in the dummy PEQ 2 laser box and it will happily hold a large capacity battery without any issues. Alternatively you could do a little dismantling work and remove the gas tube. Once we did this we could easily fit a 7.4v 1300mah LiPo into the space, whilst keeping the whole system very slim lined.
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THE ARMOURY ASG DSA SA-58 OSW
You are getting a fair amount of rifle for your money with this package and the numbers are not to be sniffed at. Bear in mind though, that it might be a little hot for some game sites so you may have to factor in the cost of a spring change within your budget and spare magazines can sometimes be tricky to find - but the magazine options are quite interesting. The 500-round high capacity magazine that the package comes with is great and it is also available as a 120-round mid capacity magazine. However, there is also a mammoth 1,000-round magazine available, which is a replica of the 30-round real steel. It is a shame there isn’t a mid-capacity magazine variant of the long magazine, as it really looks brilliant when seated in the rifle. Playing with the OSW is a treat. Generally with any of the clone type rifles a quick barrel clean is in order. They are a bit prone to being filled with junk which leads to poor performance. The weight of this rifle is on the heavy side, given that a similar sized M4 from G&P is around half a kilo lighter. This might not seem much but by the time you strap on a scope and a torch, you would be approaching the 4 kilo mark and that it getting heavy for what is considered a compact weapon system. If you are playing outdoors you shouldn’t see too many issues but, in faster CQB or indoor work, it might be a little tougher to quickly shoulder. The larger sized magazines also mean you have to consider your pouch options, as standard M4 rigs will not be suitable. If you opt for the mammoth 1,000-round magazines then you’ll probably be looking for specialist pouches. M14 type pouches will be suitable for the standard high and mid capacity magazines.
INFORMATION ASG DSA SA-58 OSW Classic Army clone 7mm Version 3 Bearing Gearbox Real DSA Logo with unique serial number Quad rail metal hand guard Locking bolt for easy hop adjustment Full metal piston rack Vented piston head Plastic cylinder head Metal selector plate Metal hop unit 370 Feet Per Second with a Blaster 0.20g BB 500 Round High Capacity Magazine (compatible with the CA version) PEQ 2 Battery Box Length: 840mm Weight: 3.5 kilos Inner barrel: 300mm RRP £250
CONCLUSION I really love the OSW. I love all the DSA rifles that Classic Army did and I am glad to see a reasonably priced version arrive on the market. You really could go to town with your options as this works equally well for a variety of good guy and bad guy looks. The beefy styling is right up my street, although I think it is a tad on the heavy side so smaller or younger players may want to try one in a store before purchasing. I would seriously consider the gas tube removal to keep it looking slick, as the PEQ 2 looks a little cumbersome although it does allow big batteries to be used.
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TARTAN CQB
THINK “FIRST AND ONLY”, THINK “ENGLISH AIRSOFT” BUT NOW THEY ALSO OPERATE IN SCOTLAND. BARRY COLLINS WENT ALONG TO CHECK OUT THEIR SITE IN GLASGOW.
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hen I first started playing airsoft circa ‘08, I heard of F&O as a company that ran the best sites in the UK, so a short time later I ventured down to their “Anzio” site - and it blew me away! I always thought to myself “Wouldn’t it be great if they had a site in Scotland?” - Now they have! I’d heard rumours that F&O were looking to open a site in Scotland and that was verified with the announcement of “The Depot” opening in Glasgow last July. The first game day ran in August and was a resounding success; the forums and social media sites were alive with talk of the site and how good it was and I finally got myself along to to see for myself what the place is like. The Depot is located in Castlemilk, in Glasgow, is very accessible via the Motorway and there are train stations and bus stops very close by. Upon reaching the site you are greeted by a large sign on the gate letting you know you are at the right place and an exceptionally spacious car park (which could easily hold several hundred vehicles). Now I am a fan of CQB (Close Quarter Battle) but I have never played in a place as big as this. The site is located in an old furniture factory scaling in at over 200,000 ft², 2 levels with multiple staircases, barriers, rooms, offices, the list goes on! I was gob-smacked at the sheer size and scale of this place. The safe zone is very large, has multiple tables and chairs, toilets and a tuck shop. With your game fee for The Depot you get lunch included, which is a nice bonus. As everyone loaded in and got themselves ready, the Marshals called for everyone
to get on the ready line for the safety and first game briefs. The safety brief is very throrough (with 50 + players on site you would expect it to be!) covering all the health and safety aspects of the site such as no running on the stairs, blind firing, etc. This then led onto the game itself which was called The Hunted... The Hunted is a great warm up and gets the blood pumping! The rules are basically; a defending team starts within a designated area that they cannot leave, in this instance it was the “Payroll” and “Canteen” (located on the ground floor and were actually those areas when the building was an operating factory) and the “Police Station” and “Showroom” (located on the second floor with the Showroom being a showroom from the old factory and the Police Station being a converted area of offices to look like a Police Office, complete with a jail!). If you are hit while defending you leave, go to the attackers spawn and get taped up and join them. This obviously leaves a last man standing which we all (kind of) want to be. I found myself in the defenders at first and I went for the upstairs defense as it was much brighter due to the skylights letting in natural light and I suck in the dark! I lasted around four minutes and was taken out with an impact grenade. I have to say though it was very intense indeed and saw some cracking play from the attacking team. The second game was “Deathball”. This is basically “a bomb the base” game but with one difference - there is only one bomb. This bomb sits in the middle of the downstairs floor and bases/ spawn points are located in the extreme back walls of the site. Teams fight over the bomb and a player carrying the bomb just has to touch the opposing teams wall, sounds simple huh? This
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SITE REVIEW FIRST & ONLY - THE DEPOT
game was way more intense than the last. I have to say I thought it would be a stalemate but it was far from it. I was getting shot from everywhere and had no idea what I was doing for the first ten minutes. After I got my bearings and the layout, I got stuck in and found myself working with a small group of chaps and we did very well. Plenty of kills and good maneuvering from both sides but alas, it was futile as one of the opposing team managed to get in with the bomb and defeated us. Though who cares who the winner was, it was exceptional fun and that’s what it’s all about! We broke for lunch and most players made a mad dash for the Canteen (an actual Canteen, not the game one!) located in the safe zone. Here you will get your complimentary hot dog, can of juice, packet of crisps and a biscuit of your choice - a rather good deal I think! I sat and had a good chat to a lot of players, asking what they thought of the site and such and I must say it went down well with everyone I spoke to. Players were in deep conversations about their battles, victories and losses. I know I say this in all my site reviews (and I am sure I
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have even said that!) but this is what makes airsoft so great and a site that can make people talk so passionately about the sport is definitely doing it right. After lunch we headed back out for the next game briefing, which was to be “Command and Conquer”, a game that had both teams battling over components to build a dirty bomb. These were scattered throughout the site and the teams were to find these, hold them for five minutes then move them to their base were they were safe from the opposing team. This was an excellent game as the minute a part was found and defended it let the other team know there was a part there. This resulted in sporadic battles breaking out all over the site and made for some creative play and tactics by both teams. This is where I saw the teams really work very well together, splitting forces, attacking multiple points and defending areas as low-key as possible. Again, due to the size of the area I was getting slotted all over the place though (thanks to the help of some players who knew
the site) I was on my way to racking up a decent kill count. At the end of the game our team won by onc piece of the bomb. I do enjoy these longer games as it lets the team gel together and you see the site in its total form. The last game was a cool down that mirrored the first but with a twist and called “Marshall Law”. This saw all players on site in one team versus the Marshalls. One hit and you pull off your tape and join the Marshalls until there is only one remaining. I really liked this game and players seemed to really enjoy this aspect as they got to mingle with the guys who ran the place. At the end of the day I was ruined. Things hurt that I didn’t know could hurt! I always find CQB a much more involved style of play were you have to constantly move and be 100% committed to the game or you’ll get taken out. I think the Depot is one of the best sites in the country. It’s located in the middle of a City making it very easy to access, it is probably one of the biggest CQB sites in Europe, with free grub and possibly the best Marshall team I have had the privilege of meeting. I cannot recommend the Depot enough. If you live in Glasgow there is no excuse for you not to come here but for others far beyond, get yourselves up here - it is definitely worth the trip.
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SITE REVIEW FIRST & ONLY - THE DEPOT
INFORMATION FIRST & ONLY - THE DEPOT Web: www.firstandonlyevents.co.uk Tel:
JAMIE - 07786 075129
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EVENT REPORT REDWOLF CHARITY GAME
a view from the
front line
ON THE 8TH DECEMBER NIGE TRAVELLED DOWN TO BLUE STREAK AIRSOFT TO REPORT ON REDWOLF’S CHARITY GAME, IN AID OF MAGGIE’S CANCER CENTRE, CHELTENHAM.
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f you play regularly or often, you will know exactly what I mean when I say that not all airsoft days are the same. Some days are good and some are not so good; some are memorable whilst yet others are probably best forgotten. Then there are those days that just seem to stand head and shoulders above the others - no particular reason, they are just the mutz! On Sunday the 8th December RedWolf’s Charity Game took place at Blue Streak Airsoft and it was, without question, one of the most enjoyable days of airsoft that I have been to for a long time - don’t take my word for it though, ask any of the players who attended and they will tell you the same. Airsofters are always quick to offer support when asked and this day was no exception, as nearly fifty players turned out to raise much-needed funds for Maggie’s, a drop in cancer centre located at Cheltenham General Hospital. Being less than ten years old, Maggie’s is a fairly new charity that welcomes anyone whose lives have been touched, in any way, by cancer. To quote their website: “Maggie’s is about empowering people to live with, through and beyond cancer by bringing together professional help, communities of support and building design to create exceptional centres for cancer care.” There are currently eleven centres open throughout the UK and one in Hong Kong. They are not about looking for a cure or providing medical care, they exist solely to offer a haven of comfort and support to anyone who needs it, including family and friends. Everything they do is free of charge and they will provide support for as long as it is needed. Like so many other charities these days, Maggie’s depends largely on the kindness and generosity of the public, along with lottery funding, donations from other charitable organisations and a partnership with the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation. Elizabeth Montgomerie was the wife of Ryder Cup Golf Captain Colin Montgomerie, up until her death from cancer in 1991. On learning that the Maggie’s Centre in Cheltenham was trying to raise extra
funding, Chris and Danny from RedWolf Airsoft were quick to offer their support, as were Ratty and the guys at Blue Streak and a day in aid of the charity was soon on the calendar. Blue Streak Airsoft is located on the site of the old RAF Westcott, near Aylesbury and driving up to the Security Gate I was met by Ratty is his customary “special day” attire of boots, combats and Hawaiian shirt. The offer of a hot cup of coffee tempted me into the Guardroom where he outlined the plans for the rest of the day as a rapidly growing number of vehicles containing camo-clad figures made their way onto the site - and then the sun came out! The safe zone was hive of activity as players readied themselves, caught up with old friends and generally do what players do at this time - relive past games and look forwards to a good day’s play. Knowing that the evenings were drawing in and eager to get going, Ratty called everyone together for the Safety Briefing and to introduce Sian Davies, who was there representing Maggie’s. The look on Sian’s face as she walked into a large tent containing 50-odd heavily armed and camouflaged individuals was an absolute picture but she soon got over the shock and gave us a brief overview of the charity and its aims. Those of you that have played at Blue Streak will know that the guys always like to come up with something different to kick the day off and get the blood pumping. Today the first two games would be played as normal, with regens
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“As in all good battles, everything stopped for lunch before kicking off again with bellies full and batteries recharged and this reporter could no longer resist the urge to play” and medic rules - except the only way you could regen a team member would be by shooting them! Some players did express a certain level of initial concern that this would lead to massive over-kill but, in the event, what actually happed was absolutely hilarious! At one point about six team members found themselves trapped against the outside wall of a building and unable to move as their opposition slowly pincered them. Spotting what was about to happen another member of the team stood off by about 30 metres and every time one of them was taken out, he calmly shot them back in. This worked time after time and players were hopping up and down as they were repeatedly hit - by both sides - and only ended when the “regen guy” was taken out himself. If the aim was to get players warmed up, these games certainly did that and as they made their way back to the safe zone the tone for the day had already been set - it was going to be fun! Coffee and chat was followed by each team being independently briefed on the order of play for the rest of the morning, which would involve a series of objectives
based around fluid attack and defend scenarios. Blue Streak Airsoft is on the site of a former rocket test and development site and, as such, is blessed with a host of buildings, bunkers and structures that could have been erected specifically for the purpose of giving airsofters a great place to play! Some of the buildings have been further enhanced by the addition of (what can only be described as) a maze of interconnected passageways and small spaces and as there is no electricity, they are pitch dark. Moving through (and defending) these buildings is quite a challenge as they have been laid out in a manner that a well-coordinated team can penetrate successfully and also provide ample opportunity for cover and defense. To heighten the sense of urgency, each objective had to be completed within certain time parameters and in a particular
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EVENT REPORT REDWOLF CHARITY GAME
order. For example, in one scenario a large metal medical chest had to be acquired and moved to another location. This was a two-man job and meant that it not only had to be found but then the two men carrying it had to be defended as they made their way across the site to complete the mission. The net effect of this was that it drew a significant number of players away from the rest of the team as they struggled to keep the other side at bay, which they managed to do and the chest was eventually deposited at the required location. As in all good battles, everything stopped for lunch before kicking off again with bellies full and batteries recharged - and this reporter could no longer resist the urge to play (especially as I just “happened” to have all my kit in the Jeep …) The afternoon’s shenanigans involved a series of segments where the attacking team had to push their way round the site, over-running objectives as they went. At each objective a smoke grenade had to be located and activated to signal successful completion of that particular stage. The game would then pause to allow time for both sides to re-group before kicking off again. I must admit that I hadn’t played for a while and I had an absolute blast! I found myself alongside Gaz and Sam from RedWolf and we just seemed to “gel” from the off, with movement and communication that belied the fact that we had never played together before. We pushed round the left flank, took out the rearmost defenders and whilst Sam and I moved onto the back of the objective, Gaz hooked up with a couple of other guys and cut in towards the target building. The result was inevitable and when grenades were lobbed into the front of the building, we simply picked off the defenders and they tried to escape from the rear. Job done! With all objectives attained and following a short break, the roles were reversed and it was now our turn to be on the receiving end as we were mercilessly shoved, pushed and harried around the rest of the site. The attackers were clearly enjoying their freedom of movement and made short work of turfing us out of their first objective. We managed to stem their advance for a short while as they worked their way through piles of rubble and gravel but once past that, we had to rapidly fall back to the next defensive position. With the completion of their final objective the game was over - but not the day. This was a day in aid of charity and my belief that airsofters are amongst the most generous people I know was proven to be correct once again. Before the event, RedWolf’s Chris Kong had put the call out to other airsoft companies, inviting them to support the event by way of prizes for a raffle. The result was over £2,000-worth of guns and accessories were generously donated and with seven guns up for grabs, there were some extremely happy players by the end of. On top of that, over £2,000 was raised for Maggie’s and when you consider that their normal “large” donation is approximately £300, this sum of money would be a great help. So, all in all, an extremely successful and enjoyable day. At the start of the article I mentioned how much I enjoyed the day and I can put that down to many things but one thing that (for me) made it that little bit extra special, was the attitude of the players. We all know that airsoft is about playing with honour and trust
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- honour that we take our hits and trust that those we shoot will do the same. This was one of those days when everyone did just that. Of course there were instances of players being hit and not noticing - that comes with the territory and is not deliberate - but I also saw players taking hits from ricochets and rounds that came through bushes, just because it was “close enough”. Gun hits were also taken without question and in every 50-50 situation I saw, both players called the hit. To my mind this is the true essence of the game we love and was, for me, what made it all the more enjoyable. So, big thanks and congratulations to all involved in such an excellent day and for raising much-needed funds for a very worthwhile cause. Give yourselves a pat on the back airsofters, you did yourselves proud!
INFORMATION RAFFLE PRIZE WINNERS RORY RENTON: ICS-40 M4A1 - donated by Fire Support STEVE PLATER: M4 Carbine - donated by Land Warrior WILLS DEARDON: Combat Machine - donated by Swindon Airsoft GARETH DAVIES: WE F226 - donated by BadgerTac IAN PLATER: KWA ATP - donated by Airsoft Action DARREN BEALE: M4 Raptor - donated by RedWolf PETE LI: WE G36 GBB - donated by Airsoft Armoury Congrats to all the winners and many thanks to all the companies who so generously donated these and loads of other prizes. WHO MAGGIE WAS Maggie Keswick Jencks was the co-founder, alongside Charles Jencks, of Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres. Maggie was a writer, a landscape designer, a painter and a mother of two. In May 1993, Maggie was told that her breast cancer had recurred and spread to her bones, liver and brain. When asked, her Dumfries oncologist gave her two to three months to live. By joining a trial involving advanced chemotherapy Maggie extended her life by a further 18 months and it was in this time that her idea for a cancer caring centre was born. She worked closely with Laura Lee her oncology nurse and was asked to write an article for a medical journal on a patient’s perspective on being treated for cancer. A View from the Front Line gave her the opportunity to work out what it was that she and the many others affected by cancer needed. She was convinced that everybody would feel better as she did, if they felt able to take some active role in what was happening to them. In order not to be a ‘cancer victim’, she believed you needed help with information, that would allow you to be an informed participant in your medical treatment, help with stress reducing strategies, psychological support and the opportunity to meet up and share with other people in similar circumstances in a relaxed domestic atmosphere. She talked to her medical team at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh about a place to help their patients with the very real, if not medical, problems of living with cancer. She drew up a blueprint and plans for a pioneering venture, in a stable block in the grounds of the hospital. Maggie died in July 1995. The first Maggie’s Centre opened in Edinburgh in November 1996. If you have been touched by cancer, or would like more information about Maggie’s, visit www.maggiescentres.org where you can find out about their support programmes and links to all their local centres.
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DEATH
by Buzzsaw
JAY SLATER
Jay fell in love with airsoft not so long ago and has too many guns. An active member of the South London airsoft scene, Jay is also a publisher of military and history books
JAY SLATER GETS HIS HANDS ON REDWOLF’S AWESOME MG34 - BUT THE QUESTION IS; WILL HE EVER GIVE IT BACK AGAIN?
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t was the prodigy of “Hitler’s buzzsaw” – the iconic MG42 or Maschinengewehr-42 – with its ease of operation and lethal spray of bullets; an astonishingly high rate of fire of 1,200 rounds per minute. Also known as “Hitler’s zipper” and “linoleum ripper”, the MG42 was greatly feared by the Allies, this iconic support weapon was referred to by German operators as the ‘Bonesaw’ or Hitlersäge (‘Hitler’s Saw’). Its rate of fire was astonishing; more than double what the Allies possessed on the battlefield, such as the M1918 Browning BAR and the barrel could be replaced in seconds. The MG42 was way ahead of its time; however, the MG42 was testament to the brilliance of its predecessor, the mighty MG34. Designed in the early 1930s, the MG34 was the main infantry support weapon of the Wehrmacht through the first half of the Second World War and was fed by a 50 or 250-round belt, or drum magazine containing 75 rounds. With an incredible 900 rounds per minute, the MG34 was a truly universal weapon, much loved by soldiers in the thick of it, to arming Panzers and the Luftwaffe in planes such as the Junkers Ju-87 Stuka dive bomber. Also, a complicated tripod, the Lafette-34, was optimised for direct/indirect fire missions as well as anti-aircraft roles. Much loved by Axis forces and feared by its opponents, the MG34 was an outstanding weapon with a very fine finish and made to tight tolerances. However, it was also highly expensive and slow to manufacture as well as susceptible to dirt and fouling in the field. Although an improvement over its forerunner with an extensive use of stampings, both the MG34 and MG42 were much loved by the German infantry. Because it was such a devastating weapon – firing some 25 rounds per second – the MG42 inspired the US Army to reverse-role the Kraut shooter to fire the .30-06 cartridge, a task that it failed to achieve. Indeed, both the MG34 and MG42 were designed to operate the 7.92 round, the same as the Karabiner 98k bolt-action rifle and their effective range to reducing opposing troops into mincemeat was a maximum of 3,500 meters. The MG34 and its brethren were to become world-class weapons and also made their way into popular culture such as Manga anime and became the standard-issue heavy blaster of Imperial Stromtroopers in George Lucas’ low rent SF. It was also
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THE ARMOURY REDWOLF MG34
a major influence on the design of the less successful American M60. When Rambo went loco in the finale of his second movie with the M60E3 – with bullet casings and explosions a-plenty in a devilish and perverted machine-gun dance and retribution – we all knew that he’d rather have the MG34. And this is where RedWolf has entered the arena fighting fit. Their answer to the MG34 is an airsoft first and Action Airsoft is the only magazine to review this immense weapon. Limited to 700 units, we were fortunate to get our review hands on the very first pre-production model and foaming at the mouth like babbling lunatics, we could not wait to put RedWolf’s take on the MG34 through her paces. Presentation-wise and being a pre-production variant, the box was standard fare; however, it was superbly packaged and the weight of this Third Reich monstrosity is incredible at some 7,350 grams. The MG34 is split into four pieces: main weapon, wooden stock, front-part bipod and electric magazine that holds some 1,500 rounds, which it kicks out at an estimated 330 FPS. Initial thoughts are extremely impressive. Not only does the weight knock one for six, but the utterly superb craftsmanship is clearly evident, indeed, we have yet to test such a beautifully-designed and crafted weapon. This is sheer and magical nirvana and on first looks alone. Not one piece of plastic to be seen and make no mistake, this is the very best AEG in its aesthetical glory, period! The rear stock is made of all wood and metal, and screws onto
the MG34 where it locks securely into position. The front bipod swivels into place and can be removed or utilised in combat by folding down or placing upwards for ease of operation (but be careful not to lose the securing lock if the bipod is activated for use). The magazine is a work of mechanised art. Made of tough aluminium and steel, this bad boy will take a lot of punishment and can be loaded – via a 9-volt battery located within the magazine housing or by lightly squeezing the top part of the trigger assembly – from dislocating the magazine in the field and lifting the back lid, or by feeding the unit via a side-door panel in-game, which is the preferable option. Once fitted there is no wobble or distraction over quality: an utterly beautiful and sublime airsoft experience without comparison. We then come to the MG34… ‘OMG!’ If I was a younger writer with little concern or regard for editorial panache, then perhaps that is what would be screamed from the rooftops. With that being said, this is a work of cordite wanderlust: sheer and utter joy. The MG34 weighs as if a ton and the craftsmanship is unequalled – fielding this weapon is not for small fry as it will probably snap their bank balance and spines in the process. The weapon is fitted with two working sights and a large Deans PEQ 1,300mAj 11.1V 20C LiPo battery slots conveniently in the back section of the breech when lifted upwards. Also, the autowinding magazine can then be fitted securely to the left side and its battery cable then connected to the main unit – you are now ready to fire in anger. The RWA MG34 boasts a custom gearbox with 7-mm bearings that has been especially designed for this weapon as well as a custom-made motor, so durability and quality are assured. In all, this is extremely impressive. From its sheer heavy weight and construction that is unwieldy but solid, the RWA MG34 is, in terms of aesthetics and period feel, just like the real steel and could be used for film and theatrical work as a prop, such is its wondrous eyeball candy and wanderlust appeal. Then came the fun part: the target range.
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INFORMATION REDWOLF AIRSOFT Web: www.uk.redwolfairsoft.com Tel: 01684 273070 The range was of 150 feet in length and the targets were 150 lager cans that had been filled with water for stability and to see if both sides were penetrated. The RWA MG34 was armed to the teeth – a combination of Madbull .20 and .25 BBs were tested for comparison and quality trials – and the battery fully fuelled and keen to raise apocalyptic hell. With a real sense of urgency and power, the MG34 came to life with passion, zest and fury. Firing at an incredible 30 BBs per second – a rate of fire more than the real steel – ammunition was sent downrange as if a swarm of demonised wasps. The MG34 was designed and optimised for hardcore suppression, not pin-point accuracy, and the RWA model does this amicably. It holds its own with an insane rate of fire and the magazine was soon exhausted, the tin cans holed and shredded en masse, their metal frames buckled, bent, ripped to pieces and mowed down without mercy: it was a scene of utter devastation. And the RWA MG34 can do the same on the airsoft killing fields. Just one of these positioned at an angle and concealed would cripple an enemy advance in seconds. If not wiped out and pulverised in an instant, this behemoth of a weapon will sap all opposition of morale, such is its intensity and physique – gentlemen, size does matter. In my humble opinion, without doubt the very best airsoft weapon in the world.
INFORMATION REDWOLF MG34 Hop-Up: ADJUSTABLE Weight: 7,350 g Length: 1,240 mm Capacity: 1500 rds Power: 330 fps Motor: Custom Battery Size: PEQ 1300mAh 11.1V Shooting Mode: Full Auto Price: £1,335.50 - Pre-Order Only
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THE M4 CARBINE… M-Phwoar or M-Bore?
IT’S OFTEN SAID THAT THERE ARE SIMPLY TOO MANY M4S IN AIRSOFT, SO WE ASKED YOU WANT YOU THOUGHT AND GADGE HAS YOUR ANSWERS…
GARETH 'GADGE' HARVEY
Gadge is our resident history buff and FilmSim fanatic. He has a passion for WWII, Nam-soft and Cold War gaming – but still finds time to fit in an open-day skirmish
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ithout a shadow of a doubt the most prolific AEG any airsofter will see during their time in the hobby is the American ‘M4’ - or a dubious copy – carbine. But almost as common as a review of a new make of M4 is the inevitable backlash from a vocal part of the community asking ‘Why?’ With dozens of variants from a score of manufacturers, do we need yet another M4 when research, development and production could be put into something a bit different? Or is it simply that the M4 is an unbeatable adaptable platform and that if it works, why go elsewhere? Outside of airsoft the M4 and other variants of the ‘Armalite’ or ‘M16’ are ubiquitous. The hero of nearly every action film at some point blazes away with a US carbine, it’s hard to name a modern first person shooter that doesn’t feature one as the ‘base level’ gun and even Sci-Fi films and TV programmes utilise the body of this popular rifle, with the extra addition of a few ‘gubbins’ to make it look like a hi-tech blaster. On the face of it, what’s not to like? It’s compact but with a decent barrel, it takes easy to source magazines that fit in nearly every webbing system, it’s adaptable in its basic incarnation but ‘pro-custom’ airsofters can really go to town with accessorising the AEG, with
rails to mount anything from a simple flashlight to a night vision scope. M4 fans are keen to point out its popularity with real world military forces and the sheer scope (no pun intended) for mounting accessories but it’s detractors equally have arguments against this stalwart rifle. Perhaps the most common criticism levelled at the M4 is that to many, it’s frankly dull. Being so common place on most skirmish fields that it holds little interest to many veteran airsofters, some people don’t like it’s design and prefer bullpups (usually ex-army types) and a few just have the somewhat snobbish attitude that the M4 is a ‘noobs gun’. The ‘noobs gun’ argument holds little weight, however. Certainly the M4 is the staple hire gun at many UK sites, but when you consider that nearly all the top-end gas blow back and PTW guns out there make their debut on the M4 platform, the ‘beginners’ tag clearly doesn’t apply! But there must be something in the allure of the M4 to keep people buying them? Sure it’s easy for cheapsoft companies to reverse engineer another company’s AEG whereas developing an entirely new prototype of some obscure firearm relic, like an EM2 assault rifle (I have to be honest here, the EM2 is something I’d kill to own…) but someone, somewhere must see a market in something different? And here lies the crux; is the M4 commonplace and showered with accessories because it’s ‘easy’, or is there simply no real mass-market for anything that isn’t huge outside of airsoft? Commonly it takes a big film, computer game or TV series to prompt the ‘big guns’ of the industry like Tokyo Marui to make an AEG version. Nearly all of their initial AEGs were either firearms legends (like the G3 and AK47), film stalwarts (MP5 and M4) or featured in video games hugely popular in Japan; namely the otherwise quite ‘niche’ FAMAS rifle featured in the Metal Gear Solid computer games! While a vocal minority call out for an affordable Lee Enfield No4 rifle, globally, one has to ask how many units would an airsoft manufacturer realistically sell? The answer is probably not enough to cover their tooling and development costs. Unless, that is, some Hollywood blockbuster happens to feature a WWII British Infantry platoon and interest in the rifle soars through the roof. Like as not the M4 is a safe bet for a manufacturer and particularly so to a small company where a single product launch can be ‘make or break’ . So we threw the question out to the members of the Airsoft Action Facebook page, to find out what keeps you buying this classic carbine or conversely, work out what it is that turns you off the M4 platform.
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DEBATE THE M4 CARBINE
HAVE YOUR SAY: MATEUSZ CZERWINSKI: I guess that M4 and M16 series have that easy sort of shape to fit in gearbox and stuff. Plus it’s also the publicity a lot of action movies have M4s in so airsofters want them WILL GREEN: I think it’s the compatibility of parts. If there are already lots of parts for an M4 out there, a company can make their new M4 as well as possible, and then buyers can make them better still using other parts. That or just common design theft and re branding. CHRIS CROSS CHRISTENSEN: Nobody dares to make something innovative and take chances. The best bet is the M4 will sell and the new won’t sell as much because it’s gonna be a small crowd that wants it. For me, I personally love the M4 but it’s hard to make it unique and your own. PHIL HK BUCKNALL: Along with the ubiquitous AK, it’s probably the one gun most non-shooters would be able to identify; alright it might be the M16 but you get the drift and, as such it’s a popular choice for new players as they know what it is and can ask for it by name. Let’s not also forget the influence of games such as CoD and Battlefield, as they are strong influencers as people try to emulate the characters. Anyone else remember all the modern warfare load outs a couple of years ago? So, the M4 is hard to beat. It’s got parts a-plenty for upgrades and customisation and they are now reasonably cheap, so there’s one for every pocket. Whether you like it or not, the M4 ain’t going anywhere. ANDREW LANE: Once you have the basic parts for an M4 then it’s so easy to modify and customise you can get them cheap or pay for a high end special. EVO VON HIMMEL: I just find them inherently dull and bland and all of the myriad near-identical variants actively put me off them even more. Totally soulless. GARETH ADAMSON: The adaptability for any use and the fact that it can be made to fit a number of uses from support weapon to DMR makes the M4 quite popular. That said, I saw a number of the guns made from the older, external-gas age and wonder why nobody can make some of them. It’s only in the last few years some companies have announced or released PPSHs or an affordable MG42. How many M4s have been out in that time? Seriously, if someone made an AEG L2A3 Sterling or an AR18, I’d be so happy. Doesn’t seem to be likely though. RICHARD BLOOMFIELD: I think the problem with sinking a lot of money into something different is that people who want something different, want something different. This means that potential sales are much lower. Personally I always liked the Scar-H so that’s what I went for, though as pointed out, when using non-M4 mags does make it fun getting mag pouches. MATTHEW ADAMS: The M4 is the go to weapon for any NATO Special Forces loadout and with the sopmod kit and myriad of rail systems that it spawned, it is very unlikely to ever see two that are identical. Also without going to special Milsim events, most games are set in the present, thus rendering a lot of the WW2 era kit obsolete. GARY PIDWILL: Obviously, they are popular because of the look and ability to customise them. I hate looking like everyone else
HAVE YOUR SAY Got an opinion to share on this debate? Got an idea for a future topic? Get in touch with Airsoft Action via the address on page 4, or email gadge@airsoft-action.co.uk. Watch out for future debates on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/AirsoftAction. and refuse to own one purely for that reason. DARREN PAMPLIN: The M4 has been done to death! Can the manufacturers not bring us more interesting RIFs, such as the Sterling 9mm SMG, or an off the shelf GPMG, or affordable Lee Enfield No:4 rifle? Or even an SMLE (to mark the WW1 anniversary next year)? Yes I’m a Brit kit fan... Not a fan of the M15/M16/AR15/M4 platform... LIAM OLPHERT: You can put me firmly in the ‘M bore’ camp. I for one applaud manufacturers like ARES who at least aren’t afraid to try something new and left field. In my opinion once you’ve tried one AR-15 variant you’ve tried them all. I would like to see more Eastern Bloc kit being replicated for airsoft like the AN94 and PP2000. Oh yeah and less Glocks and MP7s as well now please. ROB “LOFTY” HEADLEAND: M4s are so customizable, anyone starting out I would say don’t think of any other gun, start with an m4 cos they’re standard, easy to get certain size parts for etc. and you can do literally anything to it but I don’t think we need more. We need more Barretts, RPDs, ACRs etc, more unusual guns but try to do them for a cheaper cost and the more expensive ones make even better! OLIVER HOLMES: The M4 is so boring. I have yet to see a M4 that’s made me even stop and think about building one. GEORGE SWINGLAND: If people only buy Armalites, what do we all expect?
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HANDS ON
HANDGUN TRAINING AS REAL-STEEL TRAINING CONTINUES ITS TRANSITION TO AIRSOFT, OSCAR P GETS SOME EXPERT ADVICE ON HIS PISTOL SKILLS.
O OSCAR PLUMMER
Oscar believes three things about airsoft: drinking tea makes you win; ‘Tally ho!’ is the best battle cry;and RIS should be banned
ver the years, I’ve noticed a general pattern in this airsoft lark. Most of us have our first experience of the hobby as a rental or by borrowing a mate’s kit. Once we get hooked (and we do, like tiny little carp in the big angling competition of life) we start collecting bits of kit and playing regular walk-ons. From there, the next step is joining up with regular buddies or a team and playing further afield. Then finally, many make the leap to MilSim or themed events, when general skirmishing just isn’t enough. Somewhere along that journey, most of us consider getting some proper training with our shiny toys; well, certainly better training than we get from copying Chris Costa’s beard’s antics on YouTube! If you’re lucky enough to know someone with real world experience, you might be able to pick up some pointers from them, or maybe play in a MilSim that has training built into the event. Of late, it’s been really good to see a number of organisations stepping up to the plate and putting some serious thought into providing airsofters with dedicated training sessions and bring the relevant parts of real steel shooting to the hobby.
On a bright, sunny (though positively freezing!) Saturday morning in November, I got the opportunity to visit one such organisation; Azura Training - the brainchild of Matt and Dave. Matt is well known in airsoft circles for his involvement with WE Europe, whilst Dave, an airsofter of some fourteen years, has extensive experience with real steel shooting. Now they’ve come together to provide training to UK airsofters and I joined them at an outdoor venue near Farnborough, along with small group of fellow enthusiasts, for their inaugural training day on basic pistol skills. This isn’t the first time I’ve been given some pointers by people with genuine training, but it was the first time that I’d signed up for specific course, rather than as part of a wider event. I’ll happily admit to a touch of worry as I drove to the site, I was a tad concerned that I’d end up making a fool of myself in front of experts! Happily, those nerves evaporated straight away. Matt, Dave and the rest of the team organising the event were really welcoming (not least doling out nice hot cups of tea), and straight away they made it clear that the course was about giving everyone a grounding in a broad range of pistol-handling skills, before helping people marry
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TRAINING BASIC PISTOL SKILLS
resting positions and our bodily stance when bringing the pistol up to aim. Again, we were shown as a group and then individually. I was actually quite amazed that some relatively small bits of advice and adjustment to the way I was standing and holding the weapon had an immediate impact on the way I was bringing the weapon up to aim. After a bit of expert direction on adjusting the grip and relaxing and bowing my arms, I started mentally kicking myself at the immediate realisation that I’ve been missing a trick all these years! However, not everything was that straightforward to fix! As we moved on to look at how to draw the weapon properly, I realised that I had a lot of bad habits to break. More than once I was patiently shown how squaring my feet would give me a stable firing platform and make my body do much of the aiming for me and how keeping my elbow locked in against my body in the in the first two counts of drawing the pistol, would keep the weapon stable and under control. However, try as I might I kept falling foul of a propensity to pivot my shoulders 90 degrees, extend my strong hand towards the target and brace forward onto one leg. After half an hour of struggle, I realised what was going on - I was fighting muscle memory from previous experiences fencing. Rather than concentrating on a proper stance for a pistol, I was instinctively taking up an “en garde” position. Brilliant if you’re brandishing an epee, not so good with a handgun! However, the course was definitely structured to help break that sort of predilection. As we moved through drills on how to transition between week and strong hands, tactical reloads and carrying out various tasks whilst moving in all directions, peppered with expert advice and tailored insights from the Azura team, various silly habits began to fall away and I started to feel a lot more instinctive and controlled. As we moved through a particularly fast drill designed to show how to draw on (and disable) an adversary who’s right on top of you, I began to feel pleasantly proud that some movements which were right proper awkward at the beginning of the day were becoming if not slick, at least not stilted. We also began to concentrate on accuracy, with a number of scored drills designed to make us take the time to aim properly, rather than blaze through the actions. After a rather jovial lunch break, we got stuck into another round of drills; this time looking at moving and transitioning between various
them up with their own experience and preferences. Whist there would be some timed drills, this wasn’t a competitive event. The stopwatch would only come out to show progress, not to give people a bar to clear. Also, Dave stressed that it really was for people to adapt the training to their own way of doing things. Suitably reassured that I wasn’t letting myself in for some egregious humiliation, I set about sorting my kit. Requirements were minimal; a sidearm, holster and three mags – as well as usual eyepro, ammunition and gas. Frankly, it was a lot less fuss than getting kitted up for a usual walk-on. Straight away though, the differences between normal airsoft events and a training day came through. As well as the usual bb-based safety briefing, Dave asked us to treat our weapons as though they were the real deal; never pointing at another person and making sure they were properly cleared and re-holstered at the end of every drill. Training across the day was built around the time-honoured “talk through, walk through” system; Dave outlined a particular aspect of handling a pistol, demonstrated what he was talking about and then we worked through it ourselves. First up was the key skill of how to hold the weapon and we were shown two variations of the standard grip. Most of us will be familiar with the ‘Weaver’ approach, where the off-hand supports the trigger hand. We were shown the “high-thumbs” and “low-thumbs” variation of that grip and each given personal pointers on how to properly grip the weapon by locking our hands together to properly support it. From there, we’re talked and walked through safe
“Ipleasantly began to feel proud that some movements which were right proper awkward at the beginning of the day were becoming if not slick, at least not stilted” www.airsoft-action.co.uk 033
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stances. These took us though a number of common movements – standing up from a prone position whilst keeping the pistol on target; moving from a rest position into cover and returning fire and the perennial Robocop ‘hostage’ shot. There was also a more unusual section based around moving up, off and around a chair which, after a moment or two’s puzzlement, I finally twigged was simulating getting out of a car! The final set of drills brought all the skills from the day together. We finished with a snake drill (moving between a number of positions, alternating hands and targets) and then a box drill, where Dave ratcheted up the stress levels but literally pulling us around a course, hollering in our ears and doing everything to distract us from the matter in hand. By the end of this I discovered something else I hadn’t expected – I was knackered! My arms were aching, hands were sore and the levels of concentration required had thrown my (admittedly pitiful) brain into a bit of a spin! But frankly, that’s a good thing; it means I had gotten an absolute shedload out of the experience. All in all the course with Azura was a really productive and enjoyable event. I won’t even try and kid you that by the end of it I had picked up uber-skills; quite the opposite - I was painfully aware of how much more I had to learn - but I really felt that I’d made progress and already had picked up some pointers which will make me more effective with the pistol. Quite apart from that, the nature and design of the course left me with a sense that I was more than capable of learning more; from a point in the morning where I was convinced I was going to utterly fail, by close of play my confidence levels were right up and I was eager to keep going. This was Azura’s first run at the pistol course and feedback from the day is being factored into the next event. As well as pistol, they will also be putting together a similar course for the carbine and other tactical skills. I seriously recommend you keep an eye out for one near you and give it a go!
INFORMATION AZURA TRAINING Courses cost between £40.00 and £75.00 per person. Web: www.azura-training.com Tel:
Matt - 07872 167266
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THE FIRST WORLD WAR REMEMBERED 1914-1918 ONE HUNDRED YEARS ON
AUTHOR DAN MILLS STARTS A PERSONAL JOURNEY THROUGH THE EVENTS OF “THE WAR TO END ALL WARS”
I
DAN MILLS
A former army warrant officer, Dan served in the forces for 24 years, seeing service on operations in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq
n this year of 2014 we encounter the 96th anniversary of the end of the so called “Great War”, the war to end all wars, the eleventh hour of the eleventh month when the guns finally fell silent. Up to that enormous event there had not been even one sixty second period when a shell did not explode somewhere along the Western Front, when it did finally happen it truly was a silencing of the guns. This year however we also see the centenary of the start of that terrible war, nowadays not one single veteran still lives in this country, they have all passed on. We should remember them.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. Over the coming months and years, leading up to the one hundredth anniversary of the end, I shall be writing a series of articles reminding our readers what the youth of the country signed up for (and experienced) one hundred years ago in August 1914 and through certain anniversaries such as hard fought battles, first time experiences of gas, tanks and flame, voices from the past and much more about this momentous period of our history. I regularly walk the battlefields, so I will be showing you what it is like in Flanders Fields today. I will be bringing you the mud of the trenches and the fields of battle, the
barbed wire obstacles along the entire Western Front and its fortifications, the weapons used back then and what you can see today. We will go from Mons to The Marne, through the early mobile warfare, cover great holding and defensive actions from outnumbered British, French and Belgian units, from the static stalemate of the trenches after ‘the race to the sea’, from Ypres, Gallipoli, Verdun, Jutland and The Somme. Messines, Passchendaele, the air war and the final German Offensives, all will be covered and remembered. Hopefully this will encourage you, the reader, to take a closer look at what the British Tommy and others went through; even better if it encourages you to act
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FEATURE THE GREAT WAR: LEST WE FORGET
IN FLANDERS FIIELDS In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
John McCrae, May 1915 out the Great War within the ‘airsoft’ community if you have not already done so. There are certainly plenty of items still about to use and wear as period outfits! Up and down the country schools are sending pupils to the front, many books are being written or republished, television will host many programmes; churches and religious groups will hold services, travel tours will bus thousands of people to the trenches on the Western Front, all designed to commemorate those fateful years.
WHY DID IT HAPPEN? To understand this war and discover how it all came about we have to scroll back to the 1870s. Prussia/Germany had just defeated France in The Franco – Prussian War of 1870 – 1871 and lasting resentment was assured by the seizing of Alsace and parts of Lorraine by the new German Empire. Germany emerged from this war as the greatest industrial and military power in Europe, pushing and shoving of nations occurred over the years but by 1914 there were two clear sides opposing each other, all that was needed was a spark to set it all off. On one side Great Britain, France and Russia were all allies and, on the other, Austria – Hungary and Germany, the power bases in the centre were aligned. The spark that finally set the wheels to war in motion came in the form of assassination; the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Back in 1900 on the 1st of July in
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Reichstadt, Bohemia the Archduke Franz Ferdinand heir to the throne of Austria- Hungary had got married, he married a Countess called Sophie Chotek. Countess Chotek had come from a lesser background than the Archduke and because of this they could never be seen as equals in public. Back then there were very strict laws that the reigning Hapsburg monarchy had to abide by. One could only marry within current or former reigning dynasties, Sophie was working as a Lady In Waiting to one such family and was in no way at all eligible to marry the heir to the throne. The newly wedded couple were forced to live in a manner acceptable to the Imperial family. Sophie was given the title of Princess but they were forced to sign away any rights to the throne for any of their children. She would not share her husband’s rank, title, or precedence and was made to enter a room behind even the youngest imperial child. When acting as Inspector General of the Imperial forces however he was free to take his wife along with him, during these occasions they could be seen together and have some sense of normality, it was to lead to their downfall. In 1914 the Royal couple chose to go on a trip in his inspector role, in order that they spend their fourteenth wedding anniversary how they wished to spend it. They went to Bosnia Herzegovina just as the situation in Europe was bubbling over. The Austro – Hungarians had only recently annexed Bosnia Herzegovina in 1908 and deep resentment by the Serbian minority was rife. Whilst out in the city of Sarajevo in an open-topped carriage, the Archduke and his wife were assassinated by a Serb Nationalist. The march to war had begun. The Central Powers accused Serbia of being complicit in the murder and sought redress. The Russians could not stand back and let the Slavs be overrun, both sides broke off diplomatic relations and mobilised their armed forces. On the First of August 1914 Germany declared war on Russia and then shortly
afterwards, France. When the Germans marched over the border into Belgium to get to Paris, the British who were sworn to protect Belgium, declared war on Germany. And thus Great Britain sent thousands of its servicemen off to war… The first to train and go over to France was Britain’s professional regular army, mostly made up of veterans from the Boer War. These soldiers made up the ‘British Expeditionary Force’, so named after the recent army cut backs and reforms of the early nineteen hundreds, something similar along the lines of what you see happening to our forces today. In the early days after the war’s start in August 14, when the German Kaiser heard of the arrival of the ‘BEF’ he famously gave an order to exterminate Britain’s “contemptible little army” and, unfortunately, that is exactly what happened! By the time they had managed to help stop the German advance towards the end of 1914, they had suffered massive casualties and lost most of their fighting strength. In later years the survivors of those early days in the BEF called themselves the “Old Contemptibles”. The British Tommy soldiers are now all in their final resting places, as are all veterans. None now survive in this country, many thousands never made it back to these shores, many thousands said their goodbyes but would never return, many thousands now lie in the ground where they fought. It is our duty to remember them.
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MORE
S.wB .a.t.tinG IGGY ROBERTS ROUNDS OFF HIS LOOK AT S.W.A.T. TRAINING DEVICE’S BFGS WITH THEIR LATEST GRENADE, THE VTG-X.
ioan ‘iGGY’ RoBeRtS
Iggy spent eight years in the Royal Navy as a photographer, and still travels to various front lines. He’s been an airsofter for 15 years and loves the sport
ack in the Christmas issue of Airsoft Action, I looked at a couple of excellent BFGs (Blank Firing Grenades) from British manufacturer S.W.A.T. Training Devices Limited. At the time their latest device, the VTG-X was not quite ready. It wasn’t that S.W.A.T. didn’t have any devices it was just that there were not absolutely 100% happy with the unit and therefore were not prepared to release it. Now it is - and they are. S.W.A.T. Training Devices designed the Versatile Training Grenade (VTG) after noticing a gap in the market and the VTG has rapidly become a worldwide success. “So how can you improve on this success?” Well, S.W.A.T. has done it by taking the VTG back to the drawing board to see if they could adapt the design further and
this drive for perfection led to the creation of the Versatile Training Grenade - Version X (VTG-X). The VTG-X is a total hybrid rebirth of VTG. It has the same functionality and versatility as the VTG and total cross compatibility with spares but the main difference is the shape of the grenade casing and the fact it’s made entirely of metal. This product is the cream of the crop from the S.W.A.T. range of training devices. The version which Airsoft Action has been given
to test has an aluminium casing and sure is one tough bit of kit. The VTG-X also features a bespoke custom cap, designed solely by S.W.A. T. All of the internal and external components are made from British stainless steel, making the VTG-X an entirely British product.
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Kit Review BFG VTG-X
“The extra weight means its momentum can carry the grenade further while itsit’srounded shape means easy to hold and roll along thea doorway ground orinto around the un-suspecting enemy”
information The VTG-X comes with a full 12 month guarantee S.W.A.T. Training Devices sell the VTG-X for £185.00 For the VTG-X and other products from S.W.A.T, visit their website: http://www.blankfiringgrenade.co.uk
The shape of the VTG-X, along with its triangular safety pin assembly and lever are like that of an actual grenade, making it look and feel very authentic and this adds to the realism of both skirmish and real-world training scenarios. Using the four second fuse system developed for the VTG, the VTG-X gives the user time to place the grenade where they want it, rather than relying on impact shock to trigger it. Due to the VTG-X’s metal casing having been machined, the hole where the safety ring pin is inserted (once the VTG is primed) makes for a smoother fit that should remain functional even after many years of use. The VTG-X is primed the same way as the VTG by using the tool provided. As with the VTG, we decided it best to tie the tool to the safety ring pin with some Para cord, to prevent too many separate pieces that could go missing. Though don’t forget to leave some slack in the Para cord to allow for the pin to be put in place without obstruction. The VTG-X takes 9mm blanks, or 12 gauge saluting blanks, enabling a much louder “bang.” However, remember most sites in the UK allow only 9mm blanks to be used as this is due to the potentially dangerous decibel level emitted by anything larger than a 9mm. It is a fairly weighty grenade, weighing in at 700g. So ensure you use it under arm and “roll” it in gently to avoid injury to others. However this extra weight also means its momentum can carry the grenade further while its rounded shape means it’s easy to hold and roll along the ground or around a doorway into the un-suspecting enemy. The unit too large to fit into a standard grenade pouch and it’s also a tight fit for a smoke grenade pouch. Personally I recommend a utility pouch or a magazine pouch for 2, 5.56mm or larger magazines. This size of pouch will easily hold the grenade and charging tool securely as you skirmish. The VTG-X is useable at both urban sites and woodland sites due to its timed firing mechanism, continued from the VTG, making the VTG-X a diverse and useful asset for airsofters across the board. I appreciated the advantage the VTG-X gave when clearing bunkers, rooms and vehicles. It was the difference between a fast, clean cut sweep and the loss of momentum and progress caused by the usual stalemate or inevitable death traps in doorways. The VTG-X is not cheap but it is beautifully made and it does exactly what S.W.A.T. Training Devices designed it to do - time and time again.
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INSIDE AIRSOFT AIRSOFT ARMOURY
AIARMOURY… RSOFT
The clue is in the name. AIRSOFT ACTION VISITED AIRSOFT ARMOURY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO BUT THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF CHANGES SINCE THEN. LES LEE WENT ALONG TO FIND OUT MORE.
LES LEE
Les has over 25 years shooting experience – but now his focus is airsoft. Safety and common sense are his strengths – and he just loves his handguns
I
f you ever had the desire to walk into a shop which is quite literally filled with airsoft guns - wall to wall and floor to ceiling - then read on my fellow ‘softers. The Airsoft Armoury is just a ten minute jaunt North West from junction 18 on the M25. It’s a straight drive on the A404 to the door step and with parking a plenty, but just a little heads up guys and gals, it is easy to miss as the shop front is set back and deliberately kept low-key, giving due consideration to the residents and visitors to this quaint town of Little Chalfont. I thought that was a nice gesture as we all know that we are 99.9% good and responsible gun freaks, but the locals, well, they may just take it completely out of context and bad press is the last thing that the airsoft fraternity want. We have a very good reputation and everything should be done by all of us to keep it that way - no exceptions. Anyway, walking into the shop is quite exhilarating and jawdropping but then again, it is true to form as what to expect from a shop with a bold name such as Airsoft Armoury. It doesn’t disappoint either, as it is highly unlikely that they won’t have in stock not only the RIF that you want, but the model,
variation call it what you like, say for example, “Armalite”; they stock around 25 variations of said gun so it’s highly unlikely that you would walk out empty handed. Andy Broadhurst, a veteran player of 20 years has been at the shop for approximately 12 years so he has more than enough experience to know what players want and need. It was crystal clear to me that Andy is as passionate now as he has ever been, and was more than happy to fully take over the shop two years ago and make the first subject on the agenda a complete shop refit to bring things up to date and meet the expectations that we all have nowadays. I’m probably not alone when I say that I like choice, clarity and attention to detail when it comes to investing in a new RIF or any piece of kit when it comes to it. How can you expect to truly see the quality of an optic in a dark and dingy shop? Airsoft Armoury is a very well structured shop in many ways. Firstly the layout; It is well balanced with rifles of every type (I even saw a Blunderbuss - I kid you not) on every wall. Then the very well lit glass cabinets festooned around a third of the wall space and these are quite literally oozing with yummy
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“Airsoft Armoury offers a significant bulk or team order discount. Speak to Andy about this as he is super-keen to support and help others and especially keen to get teams kitted out with the right gear ataffordable a very favourable and price” pistols. Of course this got me excited as Andy emphasised his (and his staff’s) passion for gas powered guns. Personally, give me a gas gun over electric any day (temperature permitting), as being a converted real steel Section One shooter, I do prefer the realism and tactical skills needed to ‘get the job done’ with gas or Co2 and their limited magazines. The way I see it, anyone can spray and pray but it takes just that little bit more calculated assertiveness and cunning to succeed with gas propelled BBs. That’s not to say that AEG’s get a bum deal at the Armoury, on the contrary, the stock of electric guns easily supersedes gas due to supply and demand. I think what I am trying to say here is that no matter what type of gun you are looking for, you will almost certainly find it here. You can expect to find, on average, 150 rifles and 150 handguns in stock at any one time. Whilst we are on the subject of pistols, Luke ‘Armour Piercing’ Dobson is the shop’s pistol customiser, should you
want your Hi-Cappa turned into a field-beating race gun or just made personal to your own specs. Staffed with four players, the advice you will receive comes from experience and not just manuals and most upgrades, assemblies, repairs, after sales servicing and two toning are done at the shop and time permitting, will be done while you wait (with the exception of painting). Web, phone and mail order has a 24 hour turnaround typically, but as you would expect from one of our leading airsoft shops, if there is any way to fast track an order then consider it done. Airsoft Armoury only stock brands that are of a respectable and field proven quality; WE, KA, VFC, KJ, JG, ASG to name but a few. Failure is not an option (to quote a widely used phrase) so you can be assured of receiving only the finest kit available and talking about kit, there is no shortage of gear and accessories either. When I visited the shop (which is twice now as my next RIF, a very neat ASG GBB M1 Carbine complete with wooden stock (nice!) is coming from there) I was so taken aback with the vast array of guns, I almost forgot to check out the rest of the kit available. Some great glass, best quality safety and protective wear and endless supplies of consumables for all types of play, fill the central racks in the shop, but
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INSIDE AIRSOFT AIRSOFT ARMOURY
like me, don’t be surprised to find yourself drooling over the primary’s, the secondary’s and any other gun you may like to carry. An impressive selection of shotties too, which aren’t really my thing but of course, invaluable in certain situations. Andy and his team provide the on-site shop at The Mall, or are available at other sites on request of the site owners. A couple of other points I must mention, Airsoft Armoury offers a significant bulk or team order discount. Speak to Andy about this as he is super-keen to support and help others and especially keen to get teams kitted out with the right gear at a very favourable and affordable price, as he understands that not everyone can pay top dollar to kit up, especially at the outset, so this is an area he feels needs a little more support than most others. (Authors note: Isn’t it nice to find the rare few that are not just jumping on the band wagon to make a quick buck. I think it is, as it divides the good from the bad and the ugly and
Andy is definitely one of the genuine good guys.) So there we have it, my summary of one of the most well-stocked and efficient airsoft shops that is completely devoted to nothing but airsoft, and with a wealth of knowledge between them, the staff are able to help you find what you are looking for. Airsoft Armoury is integral to the airsoft scene in Buckinghamshire and surrounding counties and their focused ambition to make the airsoft world a better place is clear to see. Passion for the sport drives these guys, so what better place to get that personal touch and attention to detail at a very
attractive price, and like I said, out of the many places I have visited to review, I am in no doubt as to where my next gun is coming from. See you in the crosshairs sometime!
INFORMATION AIRSOFT ARMOURY 3 Chalfont House, Chalfont Station Road Little Chalfont, Bucks, HP7 9PS Open: Tuesday - Saturday 9am-5pm Tel:
01494 766616
Web: www.airsoftarmoury.co.uk
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DAWNDEAD OF THE
KRIS ROBERTS BRAVES IMPENDING DOOM AND DESTRUCTION TO REPORT FROM BIO/BRITAIN’S LATEST BRAIN-EATING NIGHTMARE.
I KRIS ROBERTS
Formerly a member of the TA, Kris has over a decade’s worth of airsoft experience. Not one to be swayed by Gucci kit, his philosophy is ‘keep it simple, safe and fun’
sat perched on the edge of my sofa, shovelling corn flakes and coffee down my neck as quickly as possible. I picked up the TV remote and flicked impatiently through the news channels. It was the same story over and over again. A storm was on its way, something terrible and frightening and unlike anything this country had seen in decades. I scraped the dregs from my bowl as the Newsreader spoke of the impending doom and turned my head to look at the calm, serene skyline outside my window. “Take shelter.” He said with dramatic flair, “Stay indoors until it has passed.” He spoke as though the end of the world was coming and I smiled at the irony of what my day would hold. I grabbed my shotgun and stuffed it into my gunbag, kissed my loved ones goodbye and got into my car. Today would be a perfect day for the apocalypse. I was on my way to Spartan Airsoft in Bristol, a site which I recently reviewed and one I was eager to return to. This time though would be different; the site was to act as host for the folks at Bio/Britain,
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EVENT REPORT MONSTERS BALL 2
game organisers who specialise in Zombie Apocalypse scenarios. Bio/Britain is run by Andrew ‘Hazard’ Wall and Chris ‘Resident’ Sidwell. They have organised and run eleven games since first starting out four years ago. With an ongoing story that arcs over each game, they originally started at a local CQB site in the centre of Bristol. The story focused around the failed experimental testing of a new cancer-beating drug called ‘Necracillin’ and the birth of the shuffling undead that came as a result. As the games progressed over the years so did the story, until the dreaded virus spread beyond the City limits and found its way to Spartan Airsoft in October 2012. Each evolution of the tale was written based around the results of the previous game, allowing players the chance to feel connected to the ongoing story. I had the opportunity to contact Andrew and Chris in the week leading up to the game, and asked them what hopes they had for Monsters Ball 2, and what their previous experiences had taught them. “We have always dreamed of an open world style game with total immersion, and we’ve been striving to figure out the game mechanics to best cater to that. We started with simple Start-Stop games focusing on set pieces and hidden ‘Easter Eggs’, eventually shifting to our open world dream based on what we observed via player behaviour. We have always focused on, and believe, that the key to providing the best zombie apocalypse is by psychological manipulation. We didn’t want “airsoft with zombies”, we wanted a zombie apocalypse simulator, or ZombSim as we like to call it. It’s the people in an apocalypse that provide a greater psychological dynamic than just simple zombies. This weekend’s game is our second in a woodland environment, and this brings a new player mentality. We learnt a lot from last year’s event and so we set out with the aim to provide a level of interaction that we have never done before and to really prey on the values of each of the players’ morality. We want to see people torn between what seems right and wrong, and we’re hoping that all the players will be emotionally invested whether they are aware of it or not. For us that is the ultimate goal. We designed the game so it’s accessible to all types of players. If you like role play there are plenty of elements included. If you want to wage war on the zombies the choice is there. Tactical play, it’s available to. The art is to see players naturally immerse themselves and blend all of those aspects and actually see what they are made of.”
ZOMBIELAND When booking their places for the game, each player had to choose from one of three factions. Those were BioMach Asset Security, British Army Quarantine Guard, or the Survivors. Each player was then emailed details on their chosen factions’ uniform, along with a history of the previous games. I had been put with the Survivors and each group gathered for the safety and game briefing in the safe zone. Here we were introduced to our volunteer zombie horde, obvious in their bright orange overalls and given fair warning that although they were well padded we were to exercise some common sense when firing at them. Head shots were a no-no for obvious reasons and after a few simple details to get us started we were off to our individual team bases to set up. Once at base our team leader gave further details about possible tasks and supplies that would need collecting. Within minutes the call went out and the game began. This was to be Act One of the three-part story and was set to run for two hours. We set off into the site and warily searched out our objectives, moving carefully and with total distrust of everything around us. We quickly found ourselves closing in on the village location, only to find that a group of the Army’s Quarantine Guard had already secured the position and weren’t willing to let us get near. We tried diplomacy, offering an alliance, but this was answered with shots being fired into the ground at our feet. They heavily outgunned us and as we regrouped to discuss our next move one of our number noticed the BioMach team moving in from the other side of the village. Now the Army boys were surrounded and once again we offered our friendship, but before they could answer we saw a flash of orange in the trees and knew that the zombie hoard was coming to join the fun! In that same instant we caught sight of a man in a white Lab Coat running hell for leather through the trees and past our location. It was all about to kick off and without thinking I took off after the scientist. With a shouted “Stop!” I caught up with him and held him at gunpoint until my team mates caught up. As the others secured our
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catch, I turned away and took up a place in the quickly forming security ring. Already our little group of Survivors was gelling, instinctively looking to protect each other and acting without instruction. As I raised my shotgun into my shoulder and looked for signs of danger, I listened to the scientist behind me babbling frantically as two of the Survivors questioned him. The immersion aspect that Andrew and Chris had hoped would take hold was now in full effect. We had already made our first moral choice with the Army boys, and had responded as a team when confronted with the sight of the fleeing scientist. In the village we could now hear fighting, but we couldn’t see if it was the Army against the BioMech force, or maybe against the zombies, or if it was just a free for all. We chose discretion and moved to take the scientist back to our base.
RESIDENT EVIL It was not a moment too soon. As we started to pull back the zombie hoard closed in on us, and our flight back to base turned into a tactical retreat. Shotguns and pistols held them back, but all too briefly, and soon we were fighting from the confines of our base. Just as it seemed we were getting the upper hand, with the ground littered with fallen zombies, a figure emerged from the shadow of the trees. Stooped low it walked towards us, swinging its arms back and forth. On its enormous hands were claws as long as your forearm. “What the hell is that?” cried one of the Survivors. In response we all fired at once at the beast. With a roar it declared its fury and broke into a sprint, charging straight at us. We scattered like cockroaches, firing wildly but to no effect, this creature could not be killed. A group of us managed to slip away in the confusion. Of the remaining Survivors, some we lost contact with; the others fell victim to the attack and temporarily joined the ranks of the undead. We still had the scientist with us, and he was claiming he held the secrets needed to find a cure. With our hearts in our throats and our lungs gasping for air we opted to quickly move on and follow the scientists’ lead… For now. What followed was a hunt for the chemicals which could be combined to create the cure, and our small party covered the whole site in our quest. We had moments of stealth and evasion, hiding and running, and a Mexican standoff with the Army boys. It was during this tense exchange that I was shot in the leg after threatening a soldier with the business end of my shotgun. Most of the Survivors escaped, but myself and two others
were taken prisoner. During our brief incarceration we learnt something new. As we were planning our escape the clawed monster walked into the Army camp. No one made a sound, and after some shuffling and sniffing about the thing moved on. It responded only to noise, and it was information we were anxious to get back to our Survivors camp. Shortly afterwards we were released and by the time we reached our base (after yet another run in with the zombies), the siren was sounded to mark the end of Act One. Back at the safe zone the atmosphere was high and the chatting and laughing was great to witness. My time with the Survivors was to be put on hold as I was going to spend Act Two wandering freely about the site, taking pictures and seeing how the other teams were getting on. By now a few of the players had permanently joined the zombie hoard, increasing the threat and sapping some much needed firepower from their teams.
28 DAYS LATER Well, 28 minutes to be exact. With bellies full of hot seared flesh in the form of burgers, players set out from the safe zone to continue with the game. It was during this Act that we were introduced to a new character joining the ranks of the undead; a leather-clad psychopath armed with a real-life, smoke-belching chainsaw! Watching players’ first reactions to this new and unwelcome addition was hilarious. At first sight players would freeze and fall silent, quickly trying to work out what weaknesses this creature had. Unluckily for them there were none! As soon as it had found a victim it would start up the chainsaw and sprint after them. I have never seen airsofters run so fast in all my years of playing! With the combined forces of Chainsaw, Claws and the increased zombie hoard, the players now faced a real threat that continually blocked them in trying to complete their objectives. Teamwork was the order of the day and alliances and temporary
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EVENT REPORT MONSTERS BALL 2
ceasefires were agreed between teams when they all came under threat from the common enemy that hunted them. By Act Three I was back in the game, a short 45 minute conclusion to the day that proved to be particularly nail-biting. A fellow survivor and I found ourselves separated from the pack and desperately searching for a hidden ammunition stash. As the final siren sounded for the day I was down to just 3 shots remaining in my shotgun.
AFTERLIFE
�Afromfigure emerged the shadow of the trees. Stooped low it walked towards us, swinging its arms back and forth. On its enormous hands were claws as long as your forearm.�
I had been to two zombie based airsoft games before and both had proved to be a complete waste of time. I had my doubts before attending Monsters Ball 2, but the guys of Bio/Britain delivered a unique and enjoyable gaming experience and I was grateful that I took a chance in trying something new. This type of gaming is not for everyone. But run correctly and with planning and forethought, a great opportunity can be made for players to stretch the boundaries of our sport, injecting some much needed fun back into a game that can often drown itself in its own seriousness and self-importance. Much of the effort must come from the players themselves, and it was proven repeatedly on the day that the more you put in, the more you get back. Everyone got involved and by leaving their egos at home at immersing themselves in the fiction, a great day was had by all. Spartan Airsoft once again proved itself as a great site to play and special congratulations must be given to Andrew and Chris of Bio/Britain. They wrote a great story, including interesting and frightening characters for us to play off. The zombies, monsters and in game characters did a fantastic job of keeping the sense of belief alive, without them and their hard work it could have ended up as just another zombie game. Give yourselves a pat on the back guys. You tried something different and pulled off a great success. Well done.
INFORMATION BIO/BRITAIN ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BioBritain SPARTAN AIRSOFT: http://spartanairsoft.co.uk Tel: 07791 176046
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PIMP
My Rifle! TM HAVE PUT A SOUND SYSTEM INTO THEIR VSR10, BUT IS MORE WHITE NOISE THAN WHITE HUNTER? SCOTT ALLAN SHOVES IN HIS EARBUGS TO FIND OUT.
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SCOTT ALLAN
Scott has worked in airsoft retail for many years – and played airsoft long before that. He likes big, heavy guns, loud explosions and MilSim games in particular
hen you hunt you should go pro and with the Tokyo Marui Pro Hunter Stainless you can do just that. Well kind of... Well actually, not really... When it comes to sniping in airsoft the VSR by Tokyo Marui was the definitive spring platform for many years, until the China Soft boom. Although lacking in power it is thought to be the greatest platform and, in many ways, it still is. Japanese laws mean there are tight power regulations and with the rise in cheaper, high powered Chinese platforms, sales of the VSR 10 have fallen away sharply. But Tokyo Marui are master innovators (after all, they invented airsoft as we know it) and have come up with a crazy plan to fit a sound board in the rifle. Anything manufactured by Marui always has a sense of quality and craftsmanship, all the parts are nicely finished and no corners have been cut. You just feel like care and attention goes into their designs. Even the packaging comes with a nice blue ribbon so every rifle feels like a present. This is the kind of dedication that the Chinese and Taiwanese have never been able to copy. With a name like Tokyo Marui Pro Hunter Stainless VSR 10 you are expecting something pretty special. In reality you are getting a rehash of the standard VSR design that has been around for years, along with a sound system, scope and stainless finish.
Nothing overly exciting? Well, yes and no...
REAL STEEL VERSION The VSR 10 is modelled largely on the world famous Remington Model 700, a benchmark in precision shooting. The Model 700 or M700 has been produced for over 50 years and was originally intended to use the 7.62mm NATO round. There are many variants these days with a multitude of stocks, lengths of barrel and calibres. The M700 is used by many police forces and military outfits especially so in the US. It also sees large usage within the civilian market even here in the UK. The bolt action design is said to be more accurate than the semi-automatic designs of other rifles, such as the SVD or SR25. Without the working parts moving to chamber a new round, the platform should sit on target even after the round has left the barrel thus making your shots more accurate at longer distances. Anyone who has target shot using standard marksmanship principles will understand that it is the subtle movements that can make the biggest difference.
TOKYO MARUI VERSION Wow! The stainless finish is very eye catching! I can see me now, sitting in the safe zone on a rocking chair talking about my hogs drinking ice tea and attempting to grow a passable beard. Okay, maybe not the beard as there are children with more facial hair than me! Externally I cannot not fault the Pro Hunter in anyway. Okay, for full on ghillieheads who want to slither around in the dirt, it may not be entirely useful but for your
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THE ARMOURY TM PRO HUNTER STAINLESS VSR 10
“When the jolt from the piston is detected one ofThisthemaypre-programmed “bang” noises is played. well be one of the silliest innovations Marui have ever fitted to a rifle” average airsoft marksman who isn’t really hiding and is more skirting around the edges of the game picking off from range, it works well. The scope and rifle finish really is one of the best I have ever seen. As with all Japanese rifles, you will never get tree-splitting power but you do get consistency, high quality parts and great hop up system. Where you lose out largely is the power and at 270 feet per second with a 0.20g, it’s not going to give you the range that you would hope for. However, what you do have is a very quiet system that would be ideal for sneaking around for closer range shots - but what use is that? Well, it all depends on what you want. I’ve known all sorts of airsofters, from the types that only carry pistols, to the sorts that don’t see the point of having anything less than a box magazine, which brings me to the sound part... Yes, this makes a “bang” noise when you fire it - and if you haven’t face palmed by
now you probably are one of a very few! Are the sounds a gimmick? Yes! Does it add anything to your airsoft event? Not really. So why bother? Well it is optional. You fit headphones to a box and when the jolt from the piston is detected one of the pre-programmed “bang” noises is played. This may well be one of the silliest innovations Marui have ever fitted to a rifle but I love the look so I will continue with the review. If you forget the sound part, what you have is a fantastically finished product with some of the clearest optics I’ve ever seen on an airsoft rifle. You do have to seriously consider the low power but with more good value upgrade parts available than ever before, it is only likely to cost you an additional £150 for a fully
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INFORMATION TM PRO HUNTER STAINLESS VSR 10 Bolt Action Real Shock System Anodized Aluminium parts 4 x 40mm Nickel Finish Scope Weight: 2.4 Kilos Length: 1080mm Barrel Length: 480mm Power: 275 FPS with a Blaster 0.20g BB Magazine: 30 Round VSR 10 Magazine Sound System with 4 different firing noises Compatible with standard VSR upgrade parts Price: £430
upgraded cylinder and zero trigger made by Ultimate. Okay that bumps up your standard price but would give you 500 fps and a stunning rifle. No one said greatness was cheap. Running at 275fps you are only likely to hit out to around 50 metres max, it does also mean that you aren’t likely to have any engagement distances on your game site so point blank shots are safe. The sound system is silly and while you don’t need it, you could always use it to amuse your little brother while giving him a shot on a dedicated range somewhere and get the future generations hooked young! I really wish I could stress how good the optics are; I have spent £100 on a scope that wasn’t this nice – not that £100 is a high price for a good scope. The clarity on the Marui is unlike anything I have ever seen from an airsoft scope.
ON THE SKIRMISH FIELD While I have never been a great fan of skirmishing with a bolt action I do appreciate a good sharpshooter on my team. I own
an L96 almost purely down to my preference of the hop unit. The VSR hop adjuster just isn’t as good in my eyes but that aside, the Marui Pro Hunter looks better than any L96. I do seem to have a soft spot for garish, in-your-face chrome airsoft stuff and running the new Marui 1911 Nickel Plated pistol alongside the Pro Hunter would definitely set you out clearly as the site pimp. These rifles are relatively lightweight so moving around at speed should be easy enough, although the length may end up seeing you a little tangled in undergrowth if you are crawling.
IN CONCLUSION There are sides of this rifle that I really love and other sides that leave me dumbfounded. The overall look of the rifle is fantastic and the optics are beautifully clear and sharp. The performance is a very much on the low side, althought standard for a Japanese rifle and then there is the sound system which, in my opinion, is a waste of a good idea. A Marui VSR 10 is never value for money these days but they are lovely and the Pro Hunter Stainless is no exception. They are for the player who wants to flaunt himself on the field, to enjoy the game for the hilarity and camaraderie. Quite possibly one of the coolest, most useless rifles I have ever seen. But I can’t help but want one.
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THE BEGINNING of the End
IN THE FIRST OF A TWO-PART SERIES, MATT LIMB OBE, AN EXPERT ON THE NORMANDY LANDINGS, OFFERS A PERSONAL INSIGHT INTO THE EVENTS SURROUNDING THAT MOMENTOUS DAY.
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MATT LIMB OBE
Matt is now a freelance photographer who has served in both the Regular and Territorial Army, in Bosnia, Northern Ireland and other locations. Whilst commanding a TA regiment it became the first TA regiment to be compulsory mobilised for operations since the outbreak of WW2, to support operations in Iraq. For his command of his regiment during the Iraq war, Matt was awarded an OBE in the Operational Honours List in October 2003. Matt also operates Matt Limb Battlefield Tours and is an expert on the history of the beaches of D-Day and the trenches of World War One.
o really understand a battle you must walk the field of battle; and if you have never visited and explored a battlefield then this is the year to do it. In the next few months we will witness a century since the outbreak of World War One and seventy years since the D-Day landings of World War Two. I have no doubt many will pause and pay respect as they explore the battlefields and remember the actions of so many men who fought for King & Country. It was Sir Winston Churchill who said ‘A nation that forgets its past has no future’ and to me, it is such a wise statement that encompasses remembrance and the reason we should not forget. As the summer months approach, stories of World War One will be in the media, as will the horrific casualty numbers; but did you know the casualty rate in the summer of 1944, in Normandy with the D-Day landings, was greater than in World War One? If we take the number of casualties divided by the number of days of the campaign, we get an average daily casualty rate; for World War One, even with the horror of The Somme, this averaged around 4,000 per day. But in Normandy the average is much nearer 5,000 per day! I am not dismissing the many who paid the ultimate sacrifice in The Great War of 1914 to 1918, but as a measure of pure attrition Normandy sits as one, if not the most brutal campaign in the loss of human life. Normandy, or to be more exact Operation Overlord, had one aim; the opening of a second front in Europe, to bring the war to an end as soon as possible; but the road to Normandy was a long one. The early planning, or to be more open, the thoughts behind the planning, can be traced back to the early hours of World War Two. Then as America joined the war following the attack on Perl Harbour in December 1941, it would have been easy for them to have pursued a campaign in The Pacific, and not Europe. But in a matter of months, by the spring of 1942, the first American GIs arrived in England to the chant of ‘over paid, over sexed and over here’ as America also recognised that Germany was the centre of gravity that must be defeated to bring an end to the war. Normandy has often be written and heralded as a great triumph, in terms of a military
strategic achievement it was a success; for in the summer of 1944 a second front had been opened in Europe and there is no doubt it shortened the war. But it was not without cost and the first price paid was some two years earlier in August 1942, with Operation Jubilee and the Canadian-led action often better known as the ‘Dieppe Raid’. The raid lasted just over five hours before commanders called a full withdrawal. Less than half of the 6,000 plus force could get ashore and suffered almost sixty percent casualties. It would be easy to look on the day as little more than a fiasco, but the losses at Dieppe benefitted the landings on D-Day as vital lessons were learnt. Following Dieppe it was at the Casablanca Conference in 1943 that a true timetable for the opening of a second front in Europe was put to paper; with American, British and French attending, Premier Stalin had been invited but declined due to the ongoing conflict in Stalingrad. At the end of the conference The Casablanca Declaration was agreed and came to represent the unified voice of an allied will for the defeat of The Axis powers. So the blue touch
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FEATURE NORMANDY - THE LONGEST DAY
paper was ignited and the route was opened, even if the final landing beaches had still to be agreed - and not would be for some time. If you ask any school boy a date in history, he will quote immediately back 1066 and the Battle of Hastings; but if you were to ask him what happened on 6th June 1944 he will reply D-Day. But D-Day should not have been the 6th June. Not for the first time a great factor that effects military plans kicked in and one no-one could stop it; the weather! General Dwight Eisenhower, the American veteran of World War One, was the Commander Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force and in the first week of June 1944, he would have looked at his meteorological reports and listened to briefings of a massive storm in the English Channel that made it near impossible for the invasion to go ahead. It was critical in the wider campaign planning that tide and first light were correct for the first wave to have any chance of landing successfully on the Normandy beaches, which was planned for early morning on a low tide. But in the very early hours of 5th June Eisenhower was briefed that there was a window of opportunity. I cannot imagine what must have gone through his mind that wet damp morning as his ground, air and naval force commanders looked at him, waiting for a decision. He paused, looked around the room then said ‘OK. Let’s Go!’ So launching the greatest invasion forces of all time, as 12,000 aircraft, some 7,500 vessels and over 150,000 men crossed the English Channel intent on opening the second front in Europe. The very first action in enemy held France started in the first few minutes of D-Day with a small force from the British 6th Airborne Division, a division little more than a year old and about to undertake its very first mission. Within 6th Airborne Division were both parachutists and glider-borne troops and it was to be a reinforced company of men under the command of Major John Howard that were first into action. With six gliders and less than 200 men, John Howard had to take and hold intact, two road bridges over the River
Orne and the Caen Canal; today better known as Pegasus Bridge and Horsa Bridge. The taking of the two bridges was vital for the reinforcement of 6th Airborne Division from the beaches, with the majority of the division parachuting in soon after the bridges had been taken. After many months of totally focused training, still without knowing his full mission, John Howard finely honed his force to be able to operate in silence, but with speed and precision and the ability to navigate the gliders to within fifty yards of their target before breaking into the enemy’s perimeter wire, so as to maximise that most import principle of war; surprise. Today you can stand and look at the very spot that this action took place and marvel in the achievements of a battle that lasted a matter of minutes, but would have a strategic effect on the coming months and the Normandy campaign. At the side of Pegasus Bridge is the Cafe Gondree, often know as Pegasus Cafe, which is credited as being the first house in France to be liberated and is still owned by the same family, who pride themselves on welcoming the many people who travel every year to pay homage to John Howard along with the dwindling number of veterans who saw action at the very eve of D-Day. Exploring the D-Day beaches today gives many opportunities to explore the events and actions of individuals and formations and one such individual is Major General Hobart. Born in 1885 and an engineer officer of World War One, where
“Imany am not dismissing the who paid the ultimate sacrifice in The Great War ofmeasure 1914 toof1918, but as a pure attrition Normandy sits as one, if not the most brutal campaign in the loss of human life”
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he was awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order, General Hobart was retired from the Army in 1940 and became, of all things, a Lance Corporal in his local town’s Home Guard unit! But when Winston Churchill realised that D-Day required some ‘unconventional’ thinking he had his rank reinstated and bought back into service. It was clear from the Dieppe Raid that conventional vehicles or tanks would be useless in any future opposed beach landings and there would be a need for specialised vehicles and equipments to get troops ashore. With his brilliant engineering mind and unconventional thinking; which did not go down well with his contemporises, Hobart was tasked with the problem. The result, ready for D-Day, included a main battle tank that could swim called the DD Tank, or Drive Duplex Tank. It was christened the ‘Donald Duck Tank’ by the crews who ‘swam’ ashore in them on D-Day and gave armour support to the first wave of troops landing on the beaches. The DD Tank was one of a wide range of specialist vehicles that Hobart designed and built, others included The Crocodile which was an armoured flame-thrower to overcome the German strong points and The Crab used to clear the mines that littered the beaches. Collectively the vehicles were known as ‘The Hobart Funnies’ these outlandish vehicles were credited with aiding the invasion force getting onto the landing beaches. And there we must leave it until the next issue, in which I hope to introduce you to some of the lesser-known facts about D-Day, including The Duke of Normandy and the American forces landing on the wrong beach!
INFORMATION MATT LIMB BATTLEFIELD TOURS Matt Limb Battlefield Tours offers people the chance to really understand the anticipation, fear and camaraderie of those who fought. From the mud filled trenches of the Western Front and The Somme, to the tank tracks of Normandy and the D-Day beaches, you can experience and explore first-hand how battles and campaigns were won, or lost and what is must have been like to grapple with the enemy at close quarters. To find out more, contact MLBFT: Tel: 01476 560645 Email: info@mlbft.co.uk Web: www.mlbft.co.uk
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AAFFAIR FAMILY
NEARLY THREE YEARS AFTER SWITCHING FROM PAINTBALL TO AIRSOFT, LES LEE RE-VISITS THIS WELLKNOWN ESSEX SITE TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
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LES LEE
Les has over 25 years shooting experience – but now his focus is airsoft. Safety and common sense are his strengths – and he just loves his handguns
et me begin by asking, how many of us really understand the true value of a genuine family run business? Or more to the point, do we appreciate its true worth or simply take it for granted? Or more likely, do we really care? Well let me reassure you all, a visit to Dragons Lair, near Brentwood, in Essex, will not only answer these questions but cast the answers in stone. You can feel the family warmth the moment you walk through the main gate and trust me when I say you will be made so very welcome, whether it’s your 1st or 101st time. Head north west out of Brentwood town centre along the A128 Ongar Road, then (and this is the important bit) follow the road signs to The Secret Nuclear Bunker! I just hope that I haven’t breached The Official Secrets Act in telling you all this but I will simply deny any and all of my disclosure. ‘Nuff said! Ray, Jean, Ray and Nathan Cain are three generations of airsofters who originally established a paintball site at Kelvedon Hatch back in 1987. As a family unit they decided their interest was drawing them towards airsoft, so in 2011 they invested another £15,000 in transforming and upgrading their site to cater for this ever-growing passion - something that is
crystal clear the moment that you walk through the front gates. Upon arrival you will find ample hard top parking, which may not seem that important until you consider that there may be anywhere from fifty to a hundred and fifty players on site then yes, this is very important. A short walk through the gates and you will find both sides of the front compound have adequate purpose-built areas for donning and storing your gear, which is both comfortable and covered. Further down is the main facility where you will find their resident gunsmith Darren Burns, who has been with them for a little over a year; a shop courtesy of Airsoft Zone (who seem to have brought along a huge stock of everything you might need and more); free tea and coffee and a ‘chill zone’ complete with comfy soft chairs and sofas where you can sit and enjoy banter with fellow ‘softers. The check-in desk is always manned by family members so there is always somebody there to care for your needs and, should they be needed, there are always at least two qualified first aiders on duty for every game. There is also a better than average choice of hire guns including AK47’s, M4’s, pistols and for those that really want to go to town, you can rent an M249 Para for the day and be the guy that everyone wants on their team.
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SITE UPDATE DRAGONS LAIR
After a detailed and comprehensive briefing and all guns chronographed, the players are taken down into the game zone where the details of each game are explained in full. A rather nice feature is that the playing area is just a short distance from the safe zone so if you have forgotten anything, it takes just a few moments to return and get back into the game. The ‘battlefield’ comprises of a variety of areas and terrains, all considerably challenging including The Village, The Fort, Bunker Hill and The Lake to name but a few. This is quite often a wet area, so most of the year you can expect to get a bit wet and muddy if you are a real hard-core player. The amount of planning and work that has been put into the building of these rock solid structures and towers is quite amazing, and considering that Ray has done most of the building himself is a testament to his devotion to airsoft. Prior to each game day, Ray or one of the team visit and check the site to ensure that all the areas being used are safe and ready for use. This is particularly good as there is such a variety in player’s ages, it’s nice to know that our young guns will be as safe as can be. One unique feature at Dragons Lair is the beautiful, picture postcard lake smack bang in the middle, so unless you are a Navy Seal or SBS then you might
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just find yourself with nowhere to run… Unless you don’t mind getting wet, but that said, it makes for some exciting strategies and can be a sniper’s dream. Both The Village and The Fort make the firefights up close and personal so if that is your preferred style of play (give me CQB any day), then you are going to have some serious adrenaline flowing, then add some smoke and pyros and these games are intense to say the least. The amount of structures, barriers and bunkers are plentiful so if you are strategic and use some tried and tested tactics, then you are most likely to achieve your objective. Alternatively, you can simply pussy-foot around and be a sitting duck as a good few of the buildings are pretty high up, so anyone with a reasonably keen eye will just pick you off. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
THE PORK AND BRISKET When you break for lunch you will be far from disappointed and this is the first site
that I have actually gone back for seconds. This was by far the best food that I have seen at any site to date, with a choice of pulled pork and beef brisket, served with coleslaw lovingly prepared by Dan the food man. I chose the shredded pork in BBQ sauce and wow, this was seriously tasty grub! Even a breakfast of either sausage or bacon rolls are available to help fuel your day ahead. This was so welcome even though I wasn’t playing. If there were a prize for the best Airsoft Site food then my money is on the fayre at Dragons Lair! The afternoon games were quickly underway as our days were getting shorter and this suited the players, but I can’t help but wonder what a night game would be like at Dragons Lair. It seems to me that it would be the perfect venue as it is a
“Apicture uniquepostcard featurelake at Dragons Lair is the beautiful, smack bang in the middle, so unless you are a Navy Seal or SBS then you might just find yourself with nowhere to run…”
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SITE UPDATE DRAGONS LAIR
very user friendly and safe environment, and to see tracer rounds, lasers, torches, pyro’s and some other special effects would be awesome I’m sure. With a minimum age of 11 years (accompanied and full face protection mandatory for younger players) Dragons Lair is very family friendly and is the type of place that a parent can relax and wait in a warm, dry and very hospitable establishment, or as most seem to do, simply join in the games. In my opinion this is quite probably the best all-around airsoft site in the South East. I must emphasise the words all-around because Dragons Lair has a whole lot of something for everyone, no matter what level you play at. Therefore my honest summary of Dragons Lair after a fantastic day interviewing players, reporting and taking photos is: Pros - Everything. Cons Nothing at all. There, I’ve said it. Maybe the industry as a whole is generally improving? I don’t know but what I do know is that if you are looking for super-friendly Management and staff; equally friendly players; a great game area; fantastic food; a superb on-site shop and facilities, in the South East then this is it! I don’t claim to be an expert on airsoft but I do know an industry leader when I see it. Ray, Jean, Ray, Nathan, Trevor and Jamie know exactly how to take care of their guests and do so with a passion that I haven’t seen before. I have no problem in saying that this team are the best at what they do - no question. As they say, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating” so for a relatively small walk on fee of just twenty quid, you WILL have a great day whether you are a hard core player or a beginner and, talking of eating, I must strongly advise you NOT to miss lunch and I personally recommend the Pork in BBQ sauce - just thinking about it is now making me dribble! Until next time… Roger and out!
INFORMATION DRAGONS LAIR AIRSOFT Web: www.dragonslairairsoft.co.uk Tel:
01708 765036/07703 530189
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INSIDE AIRSOFT ENOLA GAYE
PYROMANIACS
LIKE MANY OTHER AIRSOFTERS, NIGE LIKES THINGS THAT GO BANG SO WAS IN HIS ELEMENT WHEN INVITED TO FIND OUT MORE AT ENOLA GAYE.
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he chances are that if you play airsoft, you have at some time thrown (or had thrown at you) a smoke or exploding grenade manufactured by Enola Gaye. They are one of the most popular makes of pyrotechnic used throughout the UK and elsewhere but getting the product to market (and keeping it there) has not been without its challenges. I spent some time chatting to Jim Rose and the rest of the guys behind Enola Gaye to find out what those challenges are and how things are shaping up for this forwardthinking company. Jim takes up the story… “Enola Gaye is a pyrotechnic company that specialises in pyrotechnics specifically developed for the airsoft industry (amongst others). It was the first to do so and is continuing to expand its range of products worldwide. A pyrotechnic company that (quite literally) created the market comes with many difficulties and problems; expanding worldwide brings with it a tornado of issues and ever more red tape. But after all, a MK5 is just a cardboard tube with a pinch of flash powder in it, so what’s the problem? Since 1996, when Enola Gaye first placed a smoke grenade on the market, the rules have been fairly simple; classify your product, purvey some sort of experience in manufacture to the HSE, design and make the product and then sell it to your audience…simple! However times change and no sooner had the EU banned
straight bananas they turned their attention to the unregulated pyro industry. Unregulated? That sounds like “made in someone’s bedroom”? Fear not, most industries are unregulated at some point and if you really want to worry about it, the airbag inflators behind your steering wheel is also a pyro and part of the same industry as your pouch full of Thunderflashes. The regulation is called “CE”. Enola Gaye has had two people deeply involved in the drafting of the European CE standards from the start some 4 years ago. Without our input there was every chance our industry would have been unrecognised and wiped off the map, or the standards to which airsoft products would have to have been made, would have been those of a completely different product, making it impossible to place on the market. So without too much modesty it would be fair to say Enola Gaye has kept the ball rolling. (If you want to know more about CE check one of Enola Gaye blogs on the subject on their website www.enolagaye.com.) Regulation aside, Enola Gaye designs and manufactures
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pyrotechnics for airsoft and the games industries and that’s all they do. Our head office is based on the outskirts of Reading, in Berkshire with a CE test facility in Basingstoke. We co-own our own manufacturing facility in China and have just opened an office in Las Vegas, Nevada. All in all, we think things are looking good for Enola. We are still a small company, with just 4 full time staff in the UK, but we have huge aspirations. Enola Gaye is a brand name owned by 3rd Light Ltd and we will be launching a military training smoke grenade early this year. Enola’s main product line is our smoke grenades, mainly the “Wire Pull” series which is now available in the USA, Canada, New Zealand and all over Europe. Since the WP smoke was launched it has been followed by the EG18 High Output Assault smoke and the CQB favourite the Burst Smoke, all wire pull models. Other products that you may be familiar with are our frag grenade, the MK5 and the newly launched Flash Grenade. The Frag Grenade (or BB grenade as it was formerly known) is a papier-mâché shell packed with clay pellets and a cracker unit. The shape and design has changed over the years but the product is essentially the same thing. Friction ignition (pull off the cap and strike the fuse), a fuse delay of approximately 4 seconds and then the effect, which in this case is that the product explodes, throwing pellets in random directions. The whole concept of Enola Gaye the company was born from this simple product; the smoke grenade was first to hit the market back in 1996, but the company was started as a result of the need for a grenade that exploded and was biodegradable and the frag grenade has been around since 1997. But here’s the big debate; for some it’s not loud enough for others it’s too loud and then there’s the new CE regulation which states it must be no more than 120db at “the safety distance” - which could be 20 meters with an enormous report, but that’s not realistic. Most safety distances are set between one and ten meters for simulation device pyrotechnics. Sound tests are carried out in lab conditions which often don’t reflect actual conditions that players find themselves in, but rules are rules and we have to make sure the products conform or they will disappear from the market. In a nutshell there are two categories of simulation pyrotechnic, P1 & P2 and, as a player you will be allowed to play with anything that is P1. This type of device is user friendly, the instructions are clearly labelled on the unit and it requires no training prior to use. The other type, P2, requires training and is unlikely to be seen on airsoft fields in the future unless used as part of a set piece. To give you an example; a MK5 will be P1 whereas a MK9 will be P2. Talking of noise reports; the Flash Grenade has been specifically developed for CQB airsoft. It offers a much lower noise report, rather than the high pitched crack that you get from a MK5 and in low light conditions you get a white flash, hence the name Flash Grenade. This unit has been an overnight success with players and organisers who have been finding the MK5 too punchy in tight spaces, but for some they have stuck with the MK5.” So what does the future hold for Enola Gaye and what are they currently working on? Jim again… “2014 will see all of our products CE stamped, which
has consumed much of our design time for the past 2 years. Now that this is mostly finished and the regulations are clear about what is possible, we are about to unveil some incredible new products. All our product lines will be offered in wire pull, alongside the more cost effective friction ignition counterparts. The Mil-X Smoke is launched, aimed at the military sector but an airsoft version is on the drawing board. An electronic ignition series is already ready to roll and will be available in early 2014 - and there is some other stuff that our lips are tightly sealed about.” Enola Gaye/3rd Light Ltd is a British company, it’s one that the UK airsoft scene can be proud of and has paved the way for the use of simulation pyrotechnics in Europe and is expanding this worldwide. As an airsoft player in the UK you may just take it for granted what you have on offer here; in most countries they have no pyro options and the authorities don’t
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INSIDE AIRSOFT ENOLA GAYE
understand it. They don’t have a category for it and it’s often considered to be a firework and hence they don’t want people throwing fireworks at each other. Of course and as we all know, this is not the case, but who’s going to lobby for change, who’s prepared to fill in the paperwork and make changes happen? Well, that’s exactly what Enola Gaye do. Besides designing the products, they talk on a government level and open doors. Enola Gaye now has distributors in the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Dubai and of course most European countries; not the complete product range, but line by line they inch forward to making this industry global. So who are the people behind the Enola mask (and wearing rather natty hoodies)? Jim Rose owns the company and has been involved in the games industry around airsoft and paintball since 1986. Given the opportunity, like me he prefers urban over woodland because as he says; “It just has that heart-stomping buzz of point-blank surprise” and knows that pyro is perfectly placed in these environments. “I don’t get the chance to play as much these days with most of my time spent working, but I’m open to invites, provided you go easy on me…” John is chief product designer and quality manager for all pyrotechnic products at Enola Gaye. Working closely with Jim he brings to the table fabulous formulas, mad pyrotechnic inventions and explosive cocktails, some of which make it past the production team; others are simply put in the “Crazy File”! John holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of Exeter and is one of the best pyro designers in the world today. Mark heads up all UK & Euro dealers whilst James can been seen behind the camera taking stray shots at events and then bringing it to life on screen. I really enjoyed the time at Enola Gaye, they have a great attitude and that (some would call) mad sense of adventure which is sometimes sadly lacking in the seemingly sterile and protected environment into which find ourselves inexorably drawn. Personally, I have used Enola Gaye products for more years than I want to remember and have always found them to “do what they say on the tin”. Mad? Possibly. Pyro-maniacs? Definitely!
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COMPETITION ENOLA GAYE PYRO
WIN ENOLA GAYE PYRO
*£100-WORTH OF
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n this issue we have teamed up with Enola Gaye to bring you a truly smokin’ prize! Your choice of £100-worth of Enola Gaye Pyro, delivered anywhere in Mainland UK or, of course, you could always get yourself down to collect your prize from their place near Reading, in Berkshire. To be in with a chance of winning, simply identify the FIVE differences in the two pictures and send your answers in before the closing date, either by completing the Entry Form or sending your answers in by email (details below). You can also enter via the NEW Airsoft Action website - simply visit: www.airsoft-action.co.uk, click on Competition and enter your details there - and why not take some time to have a look round the site while you’re at it.
Difference 1 _____________________________________________
Difference 4 _____________________________________________
Difference 2 _____________________________________________
Difference 5 _____________________________________________
Difference 3 _____________________________________________
Name __________________________________________________
Postcode ________________________________________________
Address_________________________________________________
Telephone _______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Email ___________________________________________________
Post your entries to: Enola Gaye Competition, Airsoft Action, Calibre Publishing, Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Malvern, Worcs, WR13 6PL, or email to: competition@ airsoft-action.co.uk with “Enola Gaye Competition” in the subject line. Entries received after 6th February 2014 will not be valid. One entry per household. The winner will be the first name pulled from the Ed’s hat. *Prize is £100 worth of pyro at retail value. Calibre Publishing would like to keep you informed of other offers and publications. Please tick here if you would NOT like to be contacted by post or email
n
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BILLY BASICS
PUSHING YOURSELF AROUND
MOTIVATION
AN EPIPHANY OR JUST TOO MUCH OF THE HARD STUFF OVER CRIMBO? WHATEVER IT WAS, BILLY’S ALL FIRED UP AND RARING TO GO!
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BILLY BASICS
Billy spent 25 years in uniform, and has served in all the usual salubrious ‘holiday destinations’ around the world. He has always been a writer and doodler by habit
hat is motivation? We all kind of know what it is, but can we really articulate it or harness the power of it to get the most out of our life and our hobby? And by “our hobby” I mean airsofting, so we could also refer to it as our sport I guess but you know what I mean. Before we delve into this article dear reader do not be troubled, Billy has not been reading Self Help books or become a selfimprovement zealot - but I have had a “penny drop” moment recently where I truly grasped the power of Motivation and I would like to share it with you, cos that’s the kind of guy I am. I looked on my iPhone just now and it told me that motivation was “the act or instance of motivating or providing a reason to act in a certain way”. Cast your minds back, can you remember who said “Don’t Quit. Suffer today and live the rest of your life as a champion.”? Despite the fact that you probably don’t know who it was, you can bet your bottom dollar that this person was not the sort of guy who was at the back of the ice cream queue as a kid, he was a motivated bloke who knew what he wanted (you’ll find the answer is at the end of the article). I have never been a huge fan of self-help books and I’m not now, but WOWSER!!! I am now a big fan of goal-setting and measured performance on account of doing a coaching
course recently. It made me realise that I have, ‘til now, been floundering around doing stuff I liked or felt comfortable doing, rather than doing stuff that would make me better. I am one of these guys that makes lists and ticks off the ones that I like doing and ignore the ones that I don’t want to do, until they enter the lastminute.com category and then they get done because there’s a crisis round the corner if it doesn’t! So where do you think I was going wrong? Lists are great right? Well yeah, but they are just a tool, they are not an end in themselves, all I was achieving really was finishing all the things on the list. What I had failed to do (and this may come as a surprise, as I am a middle aged bloke who should have thought of this a long time ago) was I hadn’t really set any goals. All our greatest Men and Women have one thing in common, they pushed themselves because they had a vision and they set goals, wrote a plan and stuck to it and were triumphant. Let’s look at Prince Harry (he’s great isn’t he?) and the spirited, inspiring injured and limbless British Servicemen that tabbed to the Antarctic South Pole, raising awareness and funds for Help for Heroes on the way. You can bet your Christmas stocking that they set goals. The wonderful Nelson Mandela who had the finest qualities of a human being could possibly hope for had goals, motivation and all the other stuff in abundance.
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GOAL SETTING So let’s get a pen and a notebook (that you’ll dedicate to this task) and take a minute or two to set some goals in the context of our sport of airsofting and the desire to get better at it, to improve. We’ll use the GROW model: Goals - Reality - Options - Will GOALS: Each goal should have a separate page with clearly defined targets, so for example if you want to improve your airsofting but… 1. You’re a bit chubby. 2. Are always getting lost when gaming because you follow everyone else around until you lose them. 3. Aren’t very forthcoming/confident and just let the big mouths take charge because they’ve been doing it longer than you and you never get the opportunity to take the lead or have a say. 4. Your kit’s a mess and you can never afford a decent weapon or Gucci pyro. Write them all down on a separate pages and prioritise them in order of importance. 1. Lose weight/get fitter. 2. Improve your map reading. 3. Improve your confidence. 4. Get some decent kit. OK now the next thing to do is to get real. Look at the REALITY: Under the “R” of GROW we take stock of where we are right now and think about where we’d like to be, this will need a certain amount of honesty on your part to be effective. If you’re 30 and have never played tennis, Wimbledon Finals success is out I’m afraid! So if you’re not in great shape admit it; I am not nearly as fit as I’d like to be and I haven’t done press ups for as long as I can remember, so my triceps are going to be like elastic bands but I really think it’s worth writing it all down. 1. I’m not nearly fit enough and have been struggling over the last few games. I smoke/drink too much. I can’t remember the last time I had any fruit or cooked a meal from fresh produce but the girl who runs the chippy and the lad from Dominos on the scooter knows my Christian name. 2. I rarely know where I am on a game and this doesn’t help with my self-confidence either. 3. See 2. 4. My kit is a mess but it’s so expensive and it’s almost always out of date as soon as you’ve bought it and something else cool comes along. Your OPTIONS, do you have the tools for the job - and we’re not talking about a low calorie chocolate drink here either. Is getting fit / going map reading / improving your confidence (get on top of 1 and 2 and I would suggest 3 will be thrown in buy two get one free) going to be practically possible? It’s not that you don’t want to do it, of course you do, it’s just that you have 2 kids, a job and your wife is just about OK with you going away one weekend in three to go to games and you simply haven’t got time. Bollocks!! Make time! There’s nearly always time somewhere (if you had a bad toothache, you’d make time to get that sorted!). It may mean that you have to sacrifice something to fit it in. I’m not suggesting that you give up volunteering for the Samaritans phone line, or coaching little league but if it means
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BILLY BASICS MOTIVATION
letting Eastenders go (it’s not real and it’s just depressing and nasty), I reckon your better half will be happy with the results of some determined self-improvement stuff that sees a fitter, more confident you. WILL: Have you got the will to do all this, do you want it bad enough? I have on occasions had the opportunity to further my career by doing courses that seem like a logical step further on up the greasy pole. But I didn’t have the will so I saved myself a lot of time and aggro by concentrating on something else. If you haven’t got the will to see it through to the end then don’t start, it might be that it’s just not the right time. However, if the answer comes back “Yeah baby, let’s do it!” then you make a list of all the steps that you WILL take to get where you want to be. That’s all dandy but what’s the alternative to not setting goals? I think you can still achieve things without any goal by just cracking on, but you’ll achieve more and do it quicker with goals. When my little girl was a few months away from popping out of mummy’s sunroof, I had a drink with a mate and
expressed my worries about coping with a new baby. He confidently informed that it was all down to “Admin” and planning each day out in detail, from a changing table in the nursery to having enough bottles and wipes and making sure they’re to hand all the time. Laying out what she was going to wear all that week in the spare room on Sunday night, putting things straight in the dish washer when used and putting it on every night for the following morning. It made such a huge difference and we have enjoyed every minute of it. A last word on motivation… Sir Winston Churchill was once asked to give an after-dinner speech. He stood up, said “Never, never, never give up.” and sat down again. What a guy! So who said “Don’t Quit. Suffer today and live the rest of your life as a champion”? It was of course Mohamed Ali and what an amazing quote. It quite literally stopped me in my tracks when I saw that on a slide and as soon as I had finished that day I walked straight back to my room, got my PT kit on and went out for a run for an hour with it ringing in my head - and it’s still in there. Powerful stuff eh? So go out there and find that incentivising trigger, put some goals down on a bit of paper and smash into it. I’ll end with another Churchillian quote: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” Billy Out.
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SKILLS ROOM REVOLVERS - PART 2
Getting to Grips with
REVOLVERS IN THIS SECOND PART OF HIS SERIES, ANDY NIGHTINGALE EXPLAINS HOW TO PROPERLY GRIP A REVOLVER TO GET THE BEST OUT OF IT
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ANDY NIGHTINGALE
Andy has seen active service around the world – and now runs Pro-Tact, a not-for-profit group providing tactical training for the airsoft community and private security forces
n my last article I looked at the history of the revolver and it’s near absence from the airsoft world. In this issue I want to look at the way in which we grip the revolver, as it is different from the semi auto loader that is ever so popular with modern times. We will also look at how the grip affects the presentation of the weapon and also how this affects the stance whilst firing the revolver. The lack of recoil from a revolver, as opposed to the working action of the auto loader, means that the gun can be somewhat more manageable. The bore line sits much closer to the position of the grip and causes less muzzle flip and flex in the shooters wrist when the revolver is fired. Due to this and the design and construction of the revolver, the position of the hands and fingers sit differently when maintaining a true firing grip. Just like the semi auto loader, the grip has to be firm and manage the recoil from the weapon. Unlike its real
steel counterpart, the airsoft revolver has little recoil but it still has to be held with a firm grip and also held in the correct way to ensure that we get the shots on target and the results that we want. Bad recoil management is one of the biggest factors in shots missing our intended point of impact (sights and trigger management are the others). So it is important that from the start we learn to grip and hold the revolver in the correct way, ensuring maximum efficiency from the revolver for every shot fired. Remember the first Marksmanship principal; “The position and hold must be firm enough to support the weapon” and the same applies to the revolver, as it does to the semi auto loader and the long gun. The basic principles for the revolver are the same as for the semi auto loader but the finger and thumb placements are different, due to design and construction. We still need a twohanded grip on the weapon, just like we have on the semi
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auto loader, to gain maximum control and management of the weapon. However the revolver can be fired accurately with a one-handed grip. To grip the revolver with a twohanded grip, wrap the strong hand (the trigger hand) around the grip of the revolver, with the web of the thumb as high up on the back strap as possible without obstructing the hammer in any way. The trigger finger should rest straight along the frame of the revolver and above the trigger. Remember to keep the finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire the weapon. The rest of the fingers should be wrapped around the grip, with all the fingers high up under the trigger guard. If there are finger grooves in the grips of the revolver, then the fingers should be resting in the groves. If they are not, the grip will soon become uncomfortable during the firing sequence. The thumb on the strong hand should be pointing down towards the middle finger. This position will help maintain a strong and high grip on the revolver. The weak hand will support the strong hand by applying opposing pressure to the strong hand grip. Like the semi auto loader, the heel of the weak hand should fill any space that is visible on the weak side of the revolver’s grip. The rest of the weak hand’s fingers should wrap tightly around the strong hand, with the fingers as high up on the underside of the trigger guard as possible. The weak thumb may rest in one of two places. 1) If you have small hands and the grip is quite large, (there are no aftermarket grips for Airsoft revolvers) then the weak thumb can rest under the strong hand’s thumb. 2) If the grip is the right size for your hands, or if your hands are large, then the weak hand thumb can sit on top of the strong thumb. This will ensure that the thumbs will not come into contact and interfere with the wheel of the revolver during the firing process. Also, if you have a long trigger finger this method will prevent the thumbs coming into contact with the trigger finger as the trigger is operated. As mentioned in the marksmanship principles, “the position and hold should be firm enough to support the weapon”,
jTo grip the revolver with a two-handed grip, wrap the strong hand (the trigger hand) around the grip of the revolver hThe thumb on the strong hand should be pointing down towards the middle finger
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SKILLS ROOM REVOLVERS - PART 2
you should grip the weapon tight, with 360 degrees of equal pressure from the hands. This will help maintain recoil management and stop the revolver from jumping in the hands when fired. The way in which we present the revolver form the holster to the target is no different from the way in which we present the semi auto loader. The only difference is the way in which we grip the revolver whilst it is still in the holster. The semi auto loader has a distinct flat grip and Tang and in many cases a beaver tail that ensures that we do not grip the weapon too far up and obstruct the hammer. The revolver’s grip however, is much smoother and more rounded. This smoother and rounder platform is much harder to ensure that the initial grip is correct just by feel alone, especially when speed to the gun is thrown into the mix. To gain a perfect grip in the holster every time takes practice and patience but, like all weapon drills, all the hard work and dedication will soon pay off and you will recognise the shape of the grip through muscle memory and feel. At the moment there aren’t any
airsoft revolvers that are “bobbed” or “shrouded” (hammer spur removed or hidden) so consideration should be taken when choosing what garments you wear with certain types of holster. The hammer spur can be quite a pain in the ass when it comes to the traditional draw from the holster. It is all too easy for the hammer spur to get caught up in clothing and foil the draw, resulting in a slow and fumbled draw, missed shots, and even dropping the weapon. I own a Price Western Leather “Speed Sheath” holster that has a hammer guard built into the holster and this helps prevent the hammer spur from snagging on clothing during carry and the draw. Stance whilst firing the revolver is up to you as there is no preferred or dedicated stance for the revolver. However the set up for your holster and ammo pouches may be different from your regular set up when carrying a semi auto loader. We will look at and cover this in the next issue along with loads and reloads. Until then stay safe and happy shooting.
gThe weak hand will support the strong hand by applying opposing pressure to the strong hand grip. ]The rest of the weak hand’s fingers should wrap tightly around the strong hand, with the fingers as high up on the underside of the trigger guard as possible. ]If you have small hands and the grip is quite large, then the weak thumb can rest under the strong hand’s thumb.
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GARETH 'GADGE' HARVEY
Gadge is our resident history buff and FilmSim fanatic. He has a passion for WWII, Nam-soft and Cold War gaming – but still finds time to fit in an open-day skirmish
AARMY NEW MODEL
FOLLOWING THE FALKANDS WAR, THE BRITISH ARMY REALISED IT HAD TO MODERNISE. GARETH “GADGE” HARVEY EXPLAINS HOW.
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COLD WAR WARRIOR
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n the immediate years following the Falklands War the British Army underwent drastic changes as the shortcomings of their 1960s era infantry equipment became woefully apparent when confronted with the realities of modern warfare. The infantryman fighting in the South Atlantic in 1983 fought in a uniform made in the 1960s, with webbing constructed in the late 1950s and wearing a pattern of helmet and boots almost identical to those produced in the 1940s. By the 1980s the fighting kit of the British Soldier was showing its age and desperately in need of an upgrade. The post-Falklands War combat evaluations led the British Army to believe that its major failings were inadequate footwear (after an appalling amount of cases of immersion foot or ‘trench-foot’) and an inability to easily ‘win the firefight’ using semi-automatic rifles when faced with a determined enemy using fully automatic firearms. Changes to uniform and equipment began in earnest in 1985 when a new, somewhat unsuccessful, pattern of combat uniform and a high leg, more water-resistant combat boot were introduced. The following years would see a new ballistic nylon lightweight combat helmet, an entire new weapons system and lastly new webbing reach the storerooms in army depots throughout the UK. New webbing had been considered in the early 1970s when theorists realised that the Army’s 58 pattern woven webbing
BRITISH INFANTRYMAN - LATE 1980S
would be impossible to decontaminate in the aftermath of the chemical and biological weapons that NATO fully expected the Warsaw Pact to field. An experimental trials set of 1972 pattern webbing was created but problems with ensuring straps and buckles stayed firm and did not slip and a concern over the risks from fire (where the webbing could possibly melt to the soldier) led to the mainstay of the project being shelved and only a few items seeing general service. Among the items that did make their way into the 80s squaddies inventory included a new butyl nylon olive green respirator haversack (worn by most units from the mid ‘70s onwards), a similarly green ‘General Service’ rucksack or ‘Bergen’ and a more capacious SAS/Para version of the GS Bergen. Less commonly seen was an item worn almost exclusively by the SAS, known as the ‘Pack Combat Light’, a green Nylon pair of sizable chest pouches affixed to a mesh waistcoat. Most of this webbing, however, was in service by the time of the Falklands War and it would be the Chest Rig and Personal Load Carrying Equipment (PLCE) system that would see the British Army into the 1990s. PLCE was a more modular and adaptable set of nylon and plastic webbing trialled in the late 80s and seeing service in the early 1990s (and therefore out of the scope of a ‘Cold War Warriors’ article), the Chest Rig, though, went from a commonly ‘privately purchased’ item to an issue piece of kit for soldiers operating from vehicles in urban areas as the late 80s wore on.
FIGHTING IN BUILT UP AREAS - FIBUA Initially, commercial companies like Arktis, Silvermans and SASS produced olive green chest rigs which had been seen on Special Forces soldiers as early as 1983 but, by the late 1980s were being produced in DPM camouflage and had become ‘issue kit’ and
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commonplace in line infantry units. By moving the soldier’s ammunition and utility pouches up off the waist and back, to high up to the front, it made operating from a Land Rover, Saxon or even a Lynx helicopter much more practical. On the downside, a prone soldier would find it slightly harder to access a magazine pouch and no provision was made to carry a bayonet but the overall benefits in FIBUA roles far outweighed the downsides. As previously mentioned, the Falklands War (or ‘Operation Corporate’ as it was known within the Army) had shown the ‘Direct Moulded Sole’ (DMS) ankle boot and puttee to be hopelessly outdated. Soldiers on Op.Corporate found that once water had entered their boot the moulded soul prevented it leaving again and puttees became heavy and waterlogged, further compounding the problem. In 1984 a new high leg combat boot, more like those worn by the US and West Germans was trialled. These new ‘Boots Combat High’ (or BCH) received mixed reports, while many soldiers found then to be much better in regards to water proofing, ankle support and allowing the foot to ‘breathe’, many found that they were hard on the foot’s tendons and caused blistering of the feet with prolonged wear. Many soldiers would buy their own boots to their preference whenever possible. Regardless of the Squaddies opinions, the BCH boot would serve the British Army until the mid-1990s when it was replaced with the Assault Boot (which again did not please all soldiers). Operation Corporate had seen the men of the Guards Division and Ghurkas equipped with MKV steel helmets. The MKV was merely an ‘upgraded’ version of the MKIII ‘turtle shell’ helmet worn by assault troops on the D-Day beaches! While the internal suspension and liner had been modified to improve comfort it was still a heavy and uncomfortable piece of kit. Experiments with ballistic nylon in both paratrooper helmets and vehicle crew helmets (and early trials of plastic ‘Northern Ireland’ helmets) had let the British Army
to adopt a new lightweight protective helmet around 1986. The MKV is commonly called a ‘kevlar’ helmet but is in fact a spun ballistic nylon, with protective qualities comparable to a steel helmet but with a greatly reduced weight and a higher degree of adjustability to the wearer and overall comfort. By 1987 most regular units were wearing this popular new helmet with TA formations receiving them slightly later. Adopted in tandem with the new helmet was the S10 service respirator designed to replace the ageing S6. The new S10 featured better optics than its processor and, more importantly, a directable ‘drinking straw’ device allowed the soldier to connect his mask to his water bottle and rehydrate without having to remove his respirator! While most of the changes to army equipment met with mixed response, one ‘upgrade’ that met with universal derision was the 1985 combat clothing system. The old and venerable 1968 pattern uniform was fully lined and while fantastic in a dry winter, was uncomfortably hot in high summer and became incredibly heavy and hard to dry out when wet. The new 85 pattern suit retained its predecessor’s DPM camouflage but reduced the lining to a minimum and had large capacious ‘bellows’ pockets fitted to the trousers and smock. While this should have been ideal, poor production standards and a policy of tendering contracts to the lowest bidder resulted in an appallingly fragile uniform that was easy to rip and would often fall apart at the seams. Numerous accounts exist of pockets simply ripping off smocks when wet and full of necessary kit. Needless to say most ‘switched on’ soldiers hung onto their older 68 pattern equipment or bought their own ‘private purchase’ when and where possible.
SMALL ARMS FOR THE 1980S Perhaps the greatest and most controversial change to the British Soldier of the mid 1980s was the adoption of the Small Arms for the 1980s, or SA80, programme. Realising that the ageing semiautomatic only SLR was optimised for battles fought at far greater ranges than those realistically being fought by the army, a decision to meet NATOs new standardised ammunition calibre of 5.56 with a domestically produced rifle was made. There are many conspiracy theories as to why the SA80 system was commissioned but, as far as the British Army official line goes, it was only to provide the next generation of soldier with a fully automatic battle rifle, accurate to the engagement ranges of around 600 metres that were expected and with a lighter round which allowed the soldier to carry far more ammunition. On paper the SA80 should have been the perfect weapon. It’s ‘bullpup’ configuration, with the trigger group in front of the magazine, allowed a barrel as long as the American M16 to be fitted to a rifle much shorter. Its high velocity 5.56 round providing automatic fire at a high cyclic rate would be invaluable in ‘winning the firefight’ and putting in an assault on an enemy armed with AK74s and its four times magnification SUSAT scope (Sight Unit Small Arms Trilux) improved accuracy in infantry regiments to which it was issued , especially in low light due to its tritium illuminated reticule. While most soldiers would carry the L85A1 variant as the Army’s standard assault rifle, two riflemen in each section would be issued with the L86 ‘Light Support Weapon’ variant (with AFV crew receiving a cut down carbine that would not actually see service in the 80s due to budgetary concerns). The LSW differed from the L85 in that it had a heavier, longer
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COLD WAR WARRIOR BRITISH INFANTRYMAN - LATE 1980S
barrel on an extended ‘outrigger’, a bipod and rear grip and came with the SUSAT as standard, even in units that would normally be equipped with iron sights. In theory the LSW provided added punch and range to the rifle section, adding around 200 metres extra distance to the sections effective fire range.
THEORY MEETS REALITY The reality proved to be far from this and a plethora of design faults soon became apparent. The weapon was designed with precise tolerances and if not scrupulously cleaned and well maintained, could stop firing for a multitude of reasons. Its initial SAA80 round for which it was designed (which was comparable in stopping power to the heavier 7.62) was dropped in favour of a standard American 5.56 round, which further compounded reliability issues and some critical design flaws, such as the magazine release catch being exposed to a soldier’s pouches (and consequently dropping the magazine out at inopportune times) and the early models of bayonet launching themselves from the rifle! The LSW fared little better, suffering the same design fault s as the rifle it had the additional burden of being of limited use as a magazine-fed support weapon being unable to keep up with belt-fed MGs in a protracted firefight. It would take some years for the army to iron out these problems with a multi-million pound overhaul; from Heckler and Koch in the early 2000s. Today the SA80 is a world-leading assault rifle but the temperamental nature of early models rocked many soldier’s confidence in the weapon. Our Cold War Warrior this month represents a typical soldier of the late 1980s, likely to be operating from an armoured fighting vehicle, Land Rover or helicopter; most likely in the Province of Northern Ireland. Wearing a set of the well regarded 1985 pattern windproof/arctic suit (the windproof kit of 1985 vintage was far superior to the standard suit) ‘acquired’ through various official and unofficial means, he sports nearly all the new equipment mentioned so far. Most noticeable is his MK6 Helmet with DPM cover and elastic foliage loops, replacing the impossible to
decontaminate sandbag, net and scrim of the Falklands era. While most helmet covers were left unadorned, it was common practice to mark the wearer’s surname and blood group on the cover to aid recognition by friends when wearing a respirator and to aid in casualty treatment. To further aid wearing a respirator, a strip of black elastic is attached to the loops as an ad hoc chinstrap to keep the helmet in place until there is sufficient time to adjust the MK6’s integral chinstrap. The 58 pattern webbing of the era is replaced by a DPM chest rig, this particular example is a mid-80s one made by the aforementioned Arktis company. The chest rig comfortably carries the soldier’s magazines, water bottle, survival kit and any maps or paperwork can be stashed in a map pocket behind the three Velcro-fastened mag pouches. The chest rig compliments his SA80 perfectly. Astute readers will notice that the model here is an L85A2, rather than the L85A1 (with all its problems) of the time. This is purely because we were unable to source an A1 in time for this article and resorted to using an A2 from my own collection. Apart from a few minor cosmetic differences however, it is externally almost identical. Completing this rather minimal loadout – typical of a soldier doing a short range and duration mobile patrol or on duty at an overt observation post – are the tall BCH, high leg combat boots, a pair of warm leather ‘Northern Ireland’ gloves and a privately purchased ‘Norgie’ Norweigian Army combat shirt. The Norgie was an almost ‘must have’ purchase for every soldier in their ‘field kit’ which replaces the bulky ‘wooly pully’ but was much warmer and had a high zip up roll neck. Such was the popularity of the ‘norgie’ that the army eventually commissioned its own version and made them standard issue. On reflection, our Cold War Warrior of 1989 could as easily be a soldier in Bosnia in 1994 and indeed is equipped as per many TA units were up until the mid-2000s. It’s an easy to source, comfortable and cheap cold war loadout but its closeness to the kit of just a decade ago may put off a few of you after a real ‘80s’ fix! But if you’re after a themed loadout for an open day, or late 80s or early 90s game, then you can’t go wrong with this practical impression that is as cheap as chips!
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AIRBORNE WORKHORSE OFTEN IGNORED IN FAVOUR OF MORE “GLAMOROUS” AIRCRAFT, AUTHOR SIMON CHAMBERS EXPLAINS WHY THE DC-3 HOLDS SUCH AFFECTION FOR HIM - AND SO MANY OTHERS.
“A
ction stations!” the jumpmaster shouted down the aircraft and the Paratroopers shuffled forward, nose to parachute pack with the man in front. The jumpmaster pointed to the door and the No1 in the stick stepped smartly forward in a well-rehearsed drill movement, ending with his left foot firmly placed in the doorsill. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the two jump indicator lights which would signal his order to jump. Keeping his eyes straight ahead he could see the green hedges and fields of the Normandy countryside flashing past below the aircraft. “Red on!” the jumpmaster shouted above the rush of the slipstream. He saw the red light come on steady. “Green on! Go!” Without hesitation No1 forced himself into the slipstream and away from the aircraft. He caught a brief glimpse of the Dakota’s tail wheel as he hurtled past it at 120 miles per hour and then it was gone. He could feel his heart beating quickly and his breaths came in gasps as his parachute billowed out above him. It had suddenly gone very quiet as the drone of the Dakota’s engines receded into the distance. He came suddenly back to his senses as someone not a million miles away was shouting “Steer away! I’m in twists!” “Shit!” he swore to himself as he reached up for his steering toggles and turned his canopy away from the other parachutist, who was desperately trying to kick out of his tangled parachute. “Not my problem”, he thought “now where’s that smoke?” On the ground the Drop Zone Party had ignited a five minute red smoke to give the twelve parachutists in the air an indication as to which way the wind was blowing. One by one they turned
their parachutes into wind, including the one who had now cleared his twists and prepared for a landing. As they touched down the Dakota was already overhead and discharging the last twelve jumpers. Finally when everyone was safely down the DC-3 turned and made a slow, low pass over the drop zone and over the heads of the now cheering and waving spectators. The Pathfinder Parachute Group had once again made a successful drop onto Sannerville, a former British war time drop zone in Normandy. Pathfinder’s members believe it is more important to put green, round parachutes over a drop zone during an anniversary event, than it is to use a ‘Classic ‘ aircraft. However all of them admit that using the Dakota was the Icing on the cake and there is no substitute for the sound of her two Pratt and Whitney radial engines approaching the drop zone. The first Dakota version Pathfinder jumped from was in 1995, over the Island of Texel in the North of Holland, as part of the local Victory in Europe celebrations. However, apart from the fact that it was a war-time aircraft, what made this extra special for the jumpers was the aircraft was the last surviving flying Dakota, built under licence in the former Soviet Union. Called an LI-2 by the Russians, it had many interesting variants but, despite being built under licence the Russians never paid a penny to the American designers. Its main difference was the use of less powerful Russian engines and the parachutist’s door was built on the starboard side, instead of the port. The story goes that the Russians understood the technical drawings but not the English instructions, so they built the door on the wrong side. Luckily they managed to get the engines the right way around! The LI-2 that Pathfinder jumped crashed a few months later killing three of its crew. However the Hungarian Insurance Company that owned it at that time purchased another museum owned aircraft and rebuilt it to flying specifications, so you may be lucky enough to see it at air shows. The DC-3 was first designed and flew in 1935 as a commercial aircraft and was quickly redesigned in 1941 by the military as the C-53 Skytrooper. With war looming the American Army Air Force ordered 250 of them. The later version, the C-47 Skytrain
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BIG BOYZ TOYZ DOUGLAS DC-3
was more popular and, being able to carry 6,000 pounds of cargo, it could carry a fully laden jeep or a field gun. In the trooping roll it could carry 28 soldiers in full combat gear comfortably while as a glider tug it was capable of towing two CG-4 Waco gliders, or one large British Horsa glider. As an Air Ambulance it could carry 18 stretcher cases and a medical crew of three. The C-47 differed from the civilian DC-3 in several modifications, including a cargo door and strengthened floor. There were seven basic versions and at least 22 designations, including the AC-47D gunship (“Puff the Magic Dragon” of Vietnam fame); the EC-47 electronic reconnaissance aircraft; the EC-47Q anti-aircraft systems evaluation aircraft and the C-53 Skytrooper. Every branch of the U.S military and all the major allied powers flew versions of it. Even the Japanese enemy flew versions of it in WW2, known as Navy designation L2D2. The military version included a 13mm machine gun turret in the navigator’s dome and a 7.7mm machine gun in the rear window on each side of the fuselage. The Allies code name for the Japanese L2D2 was “Tabby”. The British and the Australians designated it the Dakota an acronym composed of the letters DACoTA, for Douglas Aircraft Company Transport Aircraft. The aircraft operated from every continent in the world and participated in every major battle either as a cargo aircraft or a Paratrooper aircraft and by the end of World War II, more than 10,000 had been built. By now it was also known affectionately by those that flew her as the ‘Gooney Bird’, a nickname that became universally popular. It remained in service well after the war and several hundred are still in use throughout the world. Another claim to fame for the DC-3 was it was one of the main participants in the Berlin airlift and helped to carry thousands of tonnes of supplies into the beleaguered city.
OPERATIONAL HISTORY The C-47 was the mainstay of resupply missions in most of the major campaigns and battles of World War Two. The lightly armed and highly mobile Japanese army were only stopped at Guadalcanel and the Jungles of New Guinea and Burma due to the many resupply missions, as well as the delivery of Allied reinforcements carried out by the C-47. This aircraft proved vital to resupply the surrounded American troops during the Battle of Bastogne. The experience the C-47 pilots gained flying ‘The Hump’ from India to China would be used to good effect when resupplying Berlin during the airlift. During the invasion of Europe, the C-47 and its Paratrooper variant the C-53 Skytrooper were used in great number to drop paratroopers and to tow gliders. In the Pacific the C-47 proved it could land on hastily constructed airstrips to bring in urgently needed troops and to carry out medical evacuations. Both the Indian Air Force and Pakistan Air Force used C-47s to transport supplies to their soldiers fighting in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947. The British and Commonwealth forces received 2000 C-47s under the Lease-Lend scheme and due to its toughness it was once described as “a collection of parts flying in loose formation.” Pathfinder began using DC3 “Fi-Fi Kate” when they jumped onto the Mervill Gun battery in 2000. In 2004 Pathfinder was asked to attempt a jump onto (what would have been) the Drop Zone next to the Arnhem Bridge in 1944, just to see if it could be done. Using the DC3 they successfully put 24 jumpers in World
War 2 uniforms and using PX Mk 4 parachutes onto the small drop zone, mostly thanks to the expert spotting of the former Red Devils and ex-2 Para Jumpmaster, Ian Marshall. Fi-Fi Kate was based at Blackbush airport in the UK and was hired by Pathfinder until it was finally sold back to American owners in the States. Soon after this “Drag-Em-Oot” came on the scene - another DC3 with a huge wartime pedigree. She sported the tell-tale signs of multiple machine gun rounds, drilled into her fuselage from a German fighter aircraft - including one through the second pilot’s seat (which unfortunately killed him) and multiple shrapnel wounds underneath her air frame from anti-aircraft fire. Despite all this damage she had dropped Paratroopers over Normandy and was then used as a Gilder tug, using a ‘Goal Post’ system to snatch gliders back off the LZ, into the air and back home to England; hence the name Drag-
Em-Oot. Since she came on the scene Drag-Em-Oot has dropped Pathfinder members into many of the anniversary events of the major airborne battles of World War 2. These include the Normandy Drop zone of Sannerville and the Arnhem drop zones of Ginkle heath in 2006, The Polish DZ at Dreil and the British DZs Groesbeek, Ginkle Heath and Wolfheze in 2007. These drops were repeated through 2008 and into 2009. In 2010 Pathfinder trained the London Youth Group at the Dutch National Parachute Center at Teuge in the Netherlands for a TV program called “Arnhem: Tour of Duty”. The program took a group of youngsters from the age of 16 to 21, who knew absolutely nothing about WW2 and put them through Army Basic Training, a parachute course and then re-trained them to jump the Dakota. Finally they jumped as a complete stick onto the Arnhem drop zone of Renkum as part of the Pathfinders anniversary event. I think many people who watched this on TV were equally shocked by the young age of the jumpers and the fact that the old lady Drag-Em-Oot was still flying to this day - and still doing the job she was built for. However this was the right age of many of the
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Paratroopers who jumped into the real battle of Arnhem. Drag-Em-Oot and as many as 13 other DC3/C-47 will be seen in operation over the various anniversary events in 2014, as this will be the 70th anniversary of the battles for Normandy and Arnhem and many other major events of World War 2. Various governments have decided that this will be the last big government-backed anniversary event, mainly due to the passing of so many of our veterans and the survivors being too frail to make the pilgrimage. It’s a sad time of the century. The Gooney Bird has managed to outlive many of its original pilots and users and is still flying as steady and robustly as she did when she was built all those many years ago. Many things have been said about this incredible aircraft but they are best summed up by two famous sayings, credited to her pilots: “You can crash a Dakota but you can’t wear it our!” and “The only replacement for a Dakota is another Dakota!” Long may she continue to grace our skies...
INFORMATION FACT & FIGURES C-53 Skytrooper | C-47 Manufacturer: Douglas Crew: 4 (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navigator, Radio Operator) Capacity: 28 Troops Payload: 6,000lb (2,700kg) Lenfth: 63ft 9in (19.43m) Wingspan: 95ft 6in (29.41m) Height: 17ft (5.18m) Loaded Weight: 26,000lb (11,793kg) Max. Takeoff Weight: 31,000lb (14,061kg) Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-183090C Twin Wasp 14-Cylinder Radial Engines, 1,200hp (895kw) each Maximum Speed: 224mph (195kn, 360km/h) AT 10,000ft (3,050m) Range: 1,600 miles (1,391 NMI, 2,575 kilometres) Sevice Ceiling: 26,400ft (8,045m) Climb to 10,000ft (3,050m ): 9.5min
The Belgium Air Classic Squadron (BACS), in cooperation with the Pathfinder Parachute Group Europe are saving another DC-3/C-47 Dakota from the scrap heap and hope to have her in Europe by May 2014. Currently the aircraft sits in the USA in flying condition, awaiting her re-spray ro RAF invasion markings and will have a coat of arms on the nose with the words ‘Spirit of Belgim’ painted underneath. Once in Europe it will based near Brussels and will be used in Commemorative parachute drops with Pathfinder. In order to pay for the aircraft the BACS has formed a club. Members who make a minimum donation of €125 will be entitled to a flight in the aircraft and the club has created several different types of membership to cater for all Dakota enthusiasts. Companies that make a corporate donation will be able to give flights to their employees, or hire the aircraft for their own use. Its main aim will to be to give school children historic education flights to an aviation museum and build their interest in aviation at an early age. If you would like to make a donation, or learn more about the Spirit of Belgium please contact Marc Marchel on linkup@skynet.be, or visit their Facebook page: Belgium Air Classic Squadron. The Pathfinder Parachute Group can be found on Facebook and on their website: www. pathfindergroupuk.com and contacted by emailing pathfinderuk1@aol.com
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AIRSOFT
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CADET’S POCKET BOOK
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SOLDIERS POCKET BOOK
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Are you a Air Cadet/Adult instructor? You should have one of these pocket books in your pocket!!! RRP £8.00 with this voucher code AAAC13 at www.milpkbk.co.uk - at Webshop Checkout £6.00
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BOOK REVIEW
SIANDY LENCER MCNAB
SILENCER - ANDY MCNAB
WHEN YOUR JOB INVOLVES A LOT OF READING, IT TAKES A REALLY GOOD BOOK TO KEEP NIGE’S INTEREST. DID ANDY MCNAB’S LATEST NICK STONE NOVEL FIT THE BILL?
“S
crambling to my feet, I grabbed the TV remote control from the arm of the settee. Holding it dagger-style, thumb over the top of the slim plastic sheath, I brought it down between his eyes. He staggered back but didn’t fall. I got right up close, grabbed hold of the back of his head and rammed the remote again and again into his face. I left him to sort out his own little world of pain as his mate hauled himself off his knees. I gave him the remote treatment too, in the temple, three, maybe four times. When the plastic finally cracked I jammed it into his mouth, forcing it with both hands to the back of his throat. His eyes bulged as it cut off his oxygen supply and vomit forced its way between my fingers. His arms and legs flailed for a moment, then went limp. His mate had done the right thing, as far as I was concerned and made a run for it.”
If you like reading books at full throttle, then Andy McNab’s latest novel should be right up your street. Silencer is Andy McNab’s newest best-seller, is his fifteenth in the Nick Stone series and like the 14 before it an action-packed, non-stop roller-coaster of a book which starts in the jungles of Columbia before coming bang up to date in Moscow and then heading off around the world in a frantic race to protect those most dear to him. To most casual readers, McNab is synonymous with one book; Bravo Two
Zero and it may come as some surprise to discover that he is, in fact, a prolific writer. Beyond B-20, he has also written three other Non-Fiction titles (Spoken From The Front, Seven Troop and Immediate Action), three separate series of books for young adults and three audio stories, which are narrated by Stephen Moyer. Not content with that, amongst his fiction titles is The Russian: Battlefield 3, written following his collaboration with the game-makers and taking the story into new areas that cannot be found within the game. In Silencer it is 2012, Nick Stone is semi-retired and living the quiet life in Moscow with his wife and their new-born son. When things start to go wrong with the pregnancy they call upon the private doctor who has been looking after his wife - and that’s where the brown stuff hits the aircon! The doctor saves his son and then goes missing and in the search to find her Nick realises that if he doesn’t act his cover will be well and truly blown, putting not only his life in danger but also that of his wife and son - and he wasn’t about to let that happen. The tale twists and turns at a breathless
pace and Nick finds himself drawn back to a place deep in the Columbian jungle where, nineteen years previously, he had terminated the life of the world’s most murderous drugs cartel boss. He had to get in close and hoped he’d get away without being seen - but he was and who saw him didn’t forget what he’d done. In true McNab style, the book is full of snippets that you can only guess come from many years spent in an intimate relationship with the weapons and kit used in the story. His descriptions are always bang on and written, not from information gleaned on Wikipedia and pieced together, but from a deep understanding that brings it to life off the page. To quote the Sunday Times; “McNab’s great asset is that the heart of his fiction is non-fiction: other military writers do their research, but he has actually been there.” …and you can’t say fairer than that! Silencer is published by Bantam Press and is available in hardback, ebook and on audio cd from Andy McNab.co.uk and from all good book shops. It is also available from Amazon in Kindle edition format. So if you’ve got a few quid left after the Christmas and New Year splurge and want a good book, get hold of a copy of Silencer by Andy McNab - start at the front and I promise you will not put it down until you have read the back cover!
INFORMATION SILENCER Author: Andy McNab Publisher: Bantam Press RRP: £18.99 (hardback)
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SYMBOL KEY IS IT WOODLAND OR URBAN? CHECK THE KEY! UKARA
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ATROOP AIRSOFT
AIRBORNE 101 AIRSOFT CLUB
ALL ARMS AIRSOFT
APOCALYPSE AIRSOFT
ABER AIRSOFT – THE BUNKER
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ALPHA ELITE GAMING
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AMAZON EVENTS
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AMBUSH ADVENTURES – CHOBHAM
BARNSLEY AIRSOFT
Clocaenog Forest, LL16 4SP 07967 394976 www.atroop.co.uk
Allt-lywd Wood Farm, outside Llanrhystud, nr. Aberystwyth, Wales. 07511554740 www.aberairsoft.co.uk
Downpatrick, Co. Down, BT30 07718 032541 robinsonm24@btinternet.com
North Lanarksire, ML7 5 www.airsoftasylum.webs.com
AIRSOFT COMMANDOS ABSOLUTE AIRSOFT
Maidenhead, SL6 3SS 07871 314951 www.absolute-airsoft.co.uk
Sutton, near Ferrybridge 07723 061386 andyace@ntlworld.com
AIRSOFT KGB ACE AIRSOFT WAR GAMES
Holbrook Coppice, Buidwas Bank (A4169), Buildwas, Telford, Shropshire, TF8 07786 192832 www.aceairsoft.co.uk
ACE COMBAT
Kent, TN12 7DG 01303 814803 www.acecombat.co.uk
Porkellis Moor near Helston, Cornwall, TR13 0 Chef1322@hotmail.com www.kgbairsoft.com
AIRSOFT SKIRMISH
Stoulton, WR7 4QW 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk
Near Trawden, BB8 8SN 07909 683464 www.allarmsairsoft.co.uk
Le Mont de Rozel, Jersey, JE3 5 01534 733697 www.aegairsoft.je
Hellingly, East Sussex, BN27 4HL 0844 2570433 www.amazonoutdoorevents.co.uk
Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8SL 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk
AMBUSH ADVENTURES – SOUTHAMPTON
New Forest National Park, SP5 2DW 01252 315225 www.ambushadventures.co.uk
Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7QP 07872 348 576 www.apocalypseairsoft.com
Grimsby, DN31 3JD 07752 404060 www.arenaairsoft.com
Sawbridgeworth, Herts, CM23 4BJ 07732 184957 www.awaherts.com
Shafton, Barnsley, S72 8RE 07779 236166 www.barnsleypaintball.co.uk
BATTLETEC AIRSOFT
La Couture, Guernsey, GY1 2 07781 104068 www.battletec.co.uk
AIRSOFT SKIRMISH CQB
Studley, B80 7LY 07764 587410 www.airsoftskirmish.co.uk
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Huge thanks to our friends at Airbana (www.airsoftmap.net) for supplying data
SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…
BETTER BATTLES
Ravenshead, Notts, NG15 9DH 07967 940043 www.better-battles.com
BLACKDAGGER AIRSOFT
Grasscroft Wood, Barlow Lees Lane, Dronfield, S18 7UR www.blackdagger-airsoft.co.uk
CERBERUS AIRSOFT - RIVOCK EDGE
DELTA TEAM 3
FIREFIGHT COMBAT SIMULATIONS
DOGS OF WAR
FIFE WARGAMES
DRAGON’S LAIR
FINMERE AIRSOFT
DRAGON VALLEY AIRSOFT
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Corby, NN17 3BB 07740 165787 www.close-action.co.uk
Caerwent Training Area, South Wales, NP26 5XL 07921 336360 www.dragonvalley.co.uk
COMBAT ACTION GAMES
ELITE ACTION GAMES – GATWICK
FIRST AND ONLY – ANZIO CAMP
Keighley, BD20 0LS 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
CERBERUS AIRSOFT SHEFFIELD WOODLAND
Sheffield, S6 6JE 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
BLUESTREAK AIRSOFT
Westcott Venture Park, Westcott, Aylesbury, HP18 0XB 01296 658600 www.bluestreak-airsoft.co.uk
BRAVO 2-2 AIRSOFT
Leisure Lakes, Mere Brow, Southport. PR46JX 07790 715059 www.bravo22airsoft.com
BRISTOL AIRSOFT
Bristol, BS1 2HQ 07776 288826 www.bristolairsoft.com
BRIT-TAC AIRSOFT
Sheffield, S2 5TR 07795 631331 www.brittacairsoft.com
BUNKER 51
Charlton, SE7 8NJ 0870 7549653 www.wolfarmouries.co.uk
C3 TACTICAL
Longhope, Gloucestershire, GL17 0PH 07597 938011 www.c3tactical.co.uk
CHESTERFIELD IMPERIAL AIRSOFT Brimington, Chesterfield, S43 1DQ www.cia-airsoft.co.uk
CLOSE ACTION AIRSOFT
Maryland, Norfolk, NR10 4 01328 711867 www.combatactiongames.co.uk
Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4RP 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE SANDPIT
Bradford, BD2 1BQ 07891 469492 www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk
Houston, Renfrewshire, PA6 7BP 07853 195290 www.dow-airsoft.co.uk
Brentwood, Essex, CM15 0LA 07703 530189 www.dragonslairairsoft.co.uk
Holmbush Farm, Crawley Road, Faygate, Nr. Horsham, W. Sussex, RH12 4SE 07882 686242 www.eliteactiongames.com
COMBAT SOUTH URBAN Portsmouth, PO6 3LS 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk
COMBAT SOUTH WOODLAND Fareham, PO17 5ND 02392 655636 www.combatsouth.co.uk
CONTACT! FIGHT SCHOOL
Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, CM14 5 01438 368177 www.thefightschool.demon.co.uk
COOL UNDER FIRE CERBERUS AIRSOFT - THE COMPLEX
Skelmersdale, Lancs WN8 8UT 07986 053076 www.deltateam3.co.uk
Doddington, Kent, ME9 0JS 07960 532613 www.coolunderfire.co.uk
ELITE ACTION GAMES – DORKING
Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5AB 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com
ELITE ACTION GAMES – EPSOM
Epsom, Surrey, KT18 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com
ELITE ACTION GAMES – WORTHING
Worthing, BN13 01784 433023 www.eliteactiongames.com
Truro, Cornwall, TR2 07837 475012 www.cornwallairsoftassault.co.uk
Bexley, Greater London, DA5 1NX 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk
Dumfries, DG12 cumbria.airsoft@virgin.net www.cumbria-airsoft.com
Buckingham, MK18 4JT 07976 184897 www.finmereairsoft.com
Sutton Coldfield, B75 5SA 07582 684533 www.fireballsquadron.com
Leek, ST13 8 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
FIRST AND ONLY – BUNKER WOOD
Kidderminster, Worcs, DY11 5SA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
FIRST AND ONLY – KHE SANH WOODS
Otley, West Yorkshire LS21 2NA 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
FIRST AND ONLY – MANCHESTER WOODLAND Bolton, BL7 9TS 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
Kidderminster, DY10 3PT 07862 288359 www.firstandonlyairsoft.com
FIRST & ONLY: THE HIVE EXPERIENCE AIRSOFT
CUMBRIA AIRSOFT
St Andrews, KY10 3XL info@fifewargames.co.uk www.fifewargames.com
FIRST AND ONLY – ASYLUM ELITE BATTLEZONE
CORNWALL AIRSOFT ASSAULT
Lewisham, SE13 5SU 07973 240177 www.firefight.co.uk
Swindon, Wiltshire, SN5 0AN 01380 728982 www.experienceairsoft.co.uk
Middleton, Manchester, M24 1AZ0161 727 8863
FIRST & ONLY: THE ARMOURY
Wrexham, Denbighshire, LL13 9RG 07554 800040
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INVICTA AIRSOFT – RAINDEN WOODS
Folkestone, Kent, CT18 7AY 01227 763335 www.invictaairsoft.co.uz
ISLAND RECON AIRSOFT COMBAT
Near Shorwell, Isle of Wight, PO30 07964 751047 www.islandrecon.co.uk
FIRST & ONLY: THE ACADEMY
Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 6QF 07779 157440
FIRST & ONLY: THE ASYLUM
GRANGE FARM AIRSOFT
Leicester, LE9 9FP www.gingerliberationfront.com
Co. Armagh, BT60 1NE 07772 919974 www.greenzonecombat.com
FIRST & ONLY: THE OUTPOST
GUN HO AIRSOFT
FIRST & ONLY: SLEEPY HOLLOW
Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 5LS 07880 316716
FIRST & ONLY: THE DEPOT Glasgow, G45 9SB 0161 727 8863
GROUND ZERO WOODLAND
Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 2DF www.groundzerowoodland.com
Gorebridge, Midlothian, EH23 4LG 0131 654 2452 www.airsoftedinburgh.co.uk
GREENZONE COMBAT
Kidderminster, DY10 3PT 07779 157440
Kidderminster, DY11 5SA 07779 157440
LAND WARRIOR AIRSOFT
Guisborough, TS7 0PG 07525 435696 www.gunhoairsoft.co.uk
GUNMAN AIRSOFT – CAMBRIDGE
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk
GUNMAN AIRSOFT – NORWICH Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 07854 277264 www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk
LAC SITE 1
Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
LAC SITE 2
Gainsborough, North Lincs, DN21 4JH 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
LAC SITE 3
Saxillby, LN1 2JW 07775 877057 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
LAC SITE 5
Kirton Rd, North Lincs, DN16 www.lincolnshireairsoftclub.co.uk
Farcet, Peterborough, PE7 3DH 01733 247171 www.freefirezone.co.uk
IV25 3PY 07702 846090 www.highlandtacticalairsoft.co.uk
Annacloy, Downpatrick, BT30 8JJ 07730 586926 www.frvairsoft.com
Wolverhampton, WV10 7HU 08000 354490 www.paintballuk.com
LINDSEY AIRSOFT
Manby, Lincolnshire, LN11 8HE 07955 487983 www.lindsey-airsoft.co.uk
GASS AIRSOFT – PENN
Penn Bottom, Bucks, HP10 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk
MATLOCK COMBAT GAMES
Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5FW 07974 507166 www.matlockcombatgames.com
Piddington, Oxfordshire, OX25 1 07907 788970 www.gassairsoft.co.uk
North Lincolnshire, DN21 www.humberairsoft.co.uk 07792 680297
NCIS AIRSOFT
Edinburgh, EH14 4 nick@ncis-airsoft.co.uk www.ncis-airsoft.co.uk
NOMAD AIRSOFT
Fenwick, Ayrshire, KA3 6AY 07904 998250 www.nomadairsoft.com
Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3LQ 01845 565465 www.northernallianceairsoft.co.uk
NORTHFLEET CQB
Northfleet, Kent, DA11 9AA 07968 448475 www.elitebattlezone.co.uk
NSC AIRSOFT
Hetton, Sunderland, DH5 0 07983 333521 www.nscairsoft.co.uk
Durham, DL4 2ER 01642 281220 www.ntac.co.uk
Argyll and Bute, PA37 1 07967 710185 www.argyllsurplus.com
OP-TACTICAL UK – TEAN-OPS MAW
Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 07562 479966 maw.airsoft@hotmail.com
HUMBER AIRSOFT GASS AIRSOFT – PIDDINGTON
Checkley, Staffordshire, ST10 4NS 07523 916607 www.milsimuk.co.uk
OBAN AIRSOFT – HILL ARGYLL
HOMELAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT
Spanby, Lincs, NG34 0AT 07971 560249 facebook.com/HomelandTacticalAirsoft
MILSIM UK
NTAC
HILTON PARK AIRSOFT FRV AIRSOFT
Wrightington, WN6 9PL 01942 514724 www.militaryoutdooradventure.co.uk
NORTHERN ALLIANCE AIRSOFT
HIGHLAND TACTICAL AIRSOFT FREE FIRE ZONE
MILITARY OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4JT 07964 990831 www.op-tac.co.uk
OVER THE TOP AIRSOFT CLUB MIA
Cornwall, EX23 9JL 01288 331748 www.airsoftsouthwest.co.uk
Anglesey, LL71 www.ottairsoft.co.uk 07731 744471
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Huge thanks to our friends at Airbana (www.airsoftmap.net) for supplying data
SITE DIRECTORY FIND SOMEWHERE TO BE THIS WEEKEND…
PATHFINDER GROUP AIRSOFT MILITARY SIMULATION Former RAF Camp Sopley/ Merryfield Park, Hants, BH23 02380 899369
PHOENIX AIRSOFT
Budby, Notts, NG22 9FG 01623 812483 www.phoenix-airsoft.co.uk
PLATOON 1HQ
Rochester, Kent, ME1 1 HQ 01634 829063 www.ptt-1hq.co.uk
PLAYERS OF WAR
High Bonnybridge, FK1 3AD 07767 203979 www.playersofwar.co.uk
PREDATOR COMBAT GAMES Ballynahinch, BT24 8NF 028 4377 0566 www.predatorcombat.com
RAVEN’S NEST
Suffolk, IP8 4 01473 831563 www.ravensairsoft.co.uk
RAW WAR AIRSOFT CUMBRIA Wigton, Cumbria CA7 3SZ 01900 85645 www.airsoftcumbria.co.uk
RIFT AIRSOFT COM’S SITE 3
Chipping Warden, OX17 1LZ 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com
RIFT AIRSOFT (COTTENHAM) Cambridge, CB24 8RL 07751 586781 www.riftairsoft.com
SECTION 8 AIRSOFT
Shotts, N Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com
SECTION 8 AIRSOFT
Shotts, North Lanarkshire, ML7 5AB 07974 026517 www.s8airsoft.com
SG1 COMBAT GAMES
Co. Londonderry, BT45 8NA 07713 273102 www.sg1combatgames.co.uk
SKIRMISH AIRSOFT BILLERICAY Billericay, Essex, CM11 2TX 01277 657777 www.airsoft-billericay.co.uk
SKIRMISH EXETER
Exeter, Devon, EX4 5 01548 580025 www.airsoftexeter.co.uk
SOUTHDOWN AIRSOFT
Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0LR 07766 770830 www.southdownairsoft.com
SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – BLOXWORTH Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7EU 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk
SPEC OPS AIRSOFT – THE ROCK Portland, Dorset, DT5 2EG 07984 656947 www.specopsairsoft.co.uk
STIRLING AIRSOFT
Coventry, CV3 6NX 07831 429407 www.stirlingairsoft.com
STORMFORCE AIRSOFT
Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 4LD 07515 937633 www.stormforcepaintball.co.uk
SUSSEX AIRSOFT
Slinfold, RH12 020 8150 9284 www.sussexairsoft.co.uk
SW WAR GAMES – SCRAESDON FORT
Antony, Cornwall, PL11 3AB www.swwargames.co.uk
SW WAR GAMES – TREGANTLE FORT
Antony, Cornwall, PL11 3AZ 08456 345011 www.swwargames.co.uk
S.W.A.T. AIRSOFT
Boathouse lane, South Wirral, Cheshire, CH64 3TB www.swatairsoft.eu 07703 177756
TA EVENTS
Hemel Hemstead, Herts, HP2 7QB 07894 059794 www.ta-events.co.uk
UCAP AIRSOFT
Portsmouth, Hants, PO17 6AR 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk
UCAP GREEN OPS
Linch, West Sussex, GU30 7 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk
UCAP SANDPIT TACTICAL WALES AIRSOFT
Reynoldston, Swansea SA3 1AS 01792 473336 www.tacticalwales.co.uk
TACTICAL WARFARE AIRSOFT Warlingham, Surrey, CR6 9PL 020 8665 1299 www.tacticalwarfare.co.uk
TASK FORCE SKIRMISH
Cowbridge, S Glamorgan, CF71 02920 593900 www.taskforcepaintball.co.uk
Bean, Kent, DA2 8 07590 818881 www.ucap.co.uk
ULTIMATE WARGAMES – FAWKHAM
Fawkham, Kent, DA3 8NY 01268 796130 www.ultimatewargames.co.uk
ULTIMATE WARGAMES – LIMPSFIELD
Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0RH www.ultimatewargames.co.uk
URBAN6AIRSOFT – ZONE 13 THE BUNKER
Aberystwyth, www.aberairsoft.co.uk 07841 462806
Stone, Staffordshire ST15 0QN 07432 291729 www.urban6airsoft.com
URBAN6AIRSOFT – THE BLOCK THE DESERTERS AIRSOFT Redford, DD11 07751 878175 www.thedeserters.co.uk
Wood Street, Butron-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 £AB www.urban6airsoft.com
URBAN ASSAULT THE EX SITE
Mold, CH7 4 07840 001975 www.theexsitewales.co.uk
Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, PE26 1 01733 247171 www.urbanassault.org.uk
VIKING AIRSOFT THE WARGAMES CENTRE
Stevenston, Ayrshire, KA20 3LN 08456 434326 www.scottishadventurecentre.co.uk
TROJAN AIRSOFT
Macclesfield, SK10 4SZ 07428 024874 www.trojan-airsoft.com
TROJAN AIRSOFT – OLYMPUS CQB Weir Mill, Viaduct Street, Chestergate, Stockport, Cheshire, SK5 7JP
Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 0UN www.vikingairsoft.co.uk
WARMINSTER AIRSOFT
Warminster, BA12 7RZ www.warminsterairsoft.co.uk
XSITE AIRSOFT OUTPOST Dunstable, LU6 2EE 01494 881430 www.xsiteairsoft.co.uk
XSITE AIRSOFT – LANE END
High Wycombe, HP14 3NP 01494 881430
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DEALER LISTINGS
ADVERTISERS INDEX Land Warrior Airsoft ................................................................... 2 RedWolf Airsoft ......................................................................... 3 Airsoft Zone.............................................................................. 9 Patrol Store ............................................................................ 11 Airsoft Armoury ...................................................................... 15 BadgerTac ............................................................................. 20 Patrol Base ............................................................................. 25 JD Airsoft................................................................................ 29 Enola Gaye............................................................................ 34 eHobby Asia .......................................................................... 39 Gunman ................................................................................ 42 Helikon Tex ............................................................................ 42 BadgerTac 2 .......................................................................... 46 Military 1st............................................................................. 46 British Airsoft Show .................................................................. 47 EW Trading ........................................................................... 55 Eton Guns .............................................................................. 55 SWAT ................................................................................... 59 Crawley Surplus Store .............................................................. 64 NRG CQB............................................................................. 64 NoVAT .................................................................................. 64 Dragon Valley ......................................................................... 64 Military Outdoor ..................................................................... 64 Airsoft Direct ........................................................................... 72 Patrol Base ............................................................................. 83 Airsoft World .......................................................................... 91 Pro Airsoft Supplies .................................................................. 92
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