Baz JJ

Welcome - Im looking at going there this month too.

Dates fixed for 20 and 21st September 2014 at Kings Langley, Hertfordshire which is just off the M25. Cost will be £35 for one of the days or £60 for both. The background, photos and intel is building on the Okto Eight Milsim Facebook page.

A soft milsim will be held over a weekend in September where there will be two 8 hour games; one on the Saturday 20th and a follow on game, on the Sunday 21st. Camping over is possible if you want to play both days and stay on the battlefield for an overnight ceasefire. Titanium has been discovered in the little former Soviet union country of Moldistan. A corrupt government is selling out the nations heritage to the highest bidder and the Moldistan Defence Force is trying to silence objectors. Rebels in the form of the Peoples Front of Moldistan have just murdered the Minister of Trade and are prepared to stand up to the President. Both US and Russian Forces are rumoured to be interfering in the natural course of things and events are spiralling out of control. Its only a matter of time before the peace is shattered and the forests rumble to the sounds of war. This Milsim will be delivered by professional organisers Okto Eight Milsim. Cost is expected to be £35 for one day and £60 for two. Booking hasn't opened yet, but when it does, you will be able to choose a force and then you will have access to confidential intel relevant to the force you have chosen to fight with. Until then, watch the Okto Eight Milsim page on Facebook for the latest developments https://www.facebook.com/pages/Okto-Eight-Milsim/300316936785367?ref=hl and no its not my company and no, I don't earn out of this ! (just in case you were wondering)

It seems to be from the comments on Facebook. Might be worth ringing them before you travel.

Thanks Curly, I might just do that. The date on the 29th clashes with a Getting Tanked Airsoft day at the Norfolk Tank Museum in Forncett St Peter that Ive organised, but I would like to come to Tuddenham.

Anybody played at either of the East Anglia sites ? Couldnt find anything in the review section.

Are you going to register with the British Airsoft Club ?

Thats great.. Good luck and keep us informed about the wheres and whens so we can circulate it to milsim fans.

However if each radioman has a BattleTac equipped phone located on him somewhere, out of harms way, this software allows the force CO to be able to sit safely in the command post visually tracking each team position on his tablet. The latest software version allows the milsim organiser to see everybody (both teams) in an overview situation. Whether the CO communicate orders via the data terminals or live radio is up to him. However, remember that BattleTac is totally secure, unlike PMR446 radio.

Just been upgraded. http://blog.battletac.com/2014/01/organizers-view-in-full-versions.html

I think comms are a must in a sim but only if people use them properly. The more reality you can inject into the event, the better it is. Its not just about what facilities are provided by the organiser and a little attention to detail can go a long way. One milsim organiser in the states apparently simmed the smell of gangrene. Don't ask.. Keep the technology simple, but you can always throw a few curved balls like the use of field telephones for example or a mocked up satellite link.

Its a mock up of the Harris PRC-152

If you do it for other people for money, its a business. If you are copying trademarks on to kit that is not made by that trader, that is quite likely infringing their copyright. Be careful especially when promoting that you are doing it on the Internet.

I never buy the magazines, so don't know what kind of local (driving distance) readership you would get in return for your money. Also many mags run the same ads each issue so readers get blind to them. If you go ahead, let me know as I have a milsim group on Facebook and through Flipboard and would happily give you some publicity for free.

It will vary. Unlike the military where you get a similar level, Airsoft will yield everything from ex military with a higher level of expectation to skirmishers with little understanding of drills looking to try something different. Stanta http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/military-sites/59231-stanta-battle-area-norfolk.html

Another sideline that you might be interested in which doesn't involve you having to receive peoples weapons is the supply and etching of ejection port covers for M4 variants. The ones Ive seen in the USA are very American in their mottos (you know what I mean). It would be nice to see some more low key personalised Brit ones like team logos, team names .. Changing the dust cover/ejection port cover on AR-15

The Afghan village was probably Stanta in Norfolk ?

I believe that some organisers have regular arrangements with the MOD but I think its for specific time windows well defined in advance and they are very subject to change. I don't believe high level training areas are used. Im sure other members who have attended these will be able to comment better. Its not a good time for business loans. One of the things Ive noticed, talking to a lot of sites, is that they are either entrenched in what I call civilian skirmishes or they are very far up their own backside and there are some very scary WALT groups out there. Ive always maintained that there is room for a decent organisation that falls between and caters for what people want to do. For example, I asked one site the other day if I can use my M249 on the top of their tower providing suppressing fire to both teams so it would become an obstacle to both. If hit, I didn't want to descend the tower and respawn due to the slippery ladder access, especially if you get hit every five minutes. My suggestion was a timed down time i.e once hit, I couldn't fire for a fixed time period. The answer was a straight no. Assign to a team and climb down each time. So, I wont be taking it there. On our Facebook group, we were talking about a new mortar that has hit the market, but many sites wont even consider you bringing it. So, there is demand for something more than a straight skirmish site. Personally, I think some sites are making so much money by just repeating the same tired old games in a skirmish format, they are getting a bit complacent. Incidentally, I just noticed the side chat on this topic going on in status updates and have read through the comments of the others which is all good advice. For the forum admin, this is a good example of where chat in this area detracts from the topic content and you get a split topic. The forum would be a lot busier if topics were focused. Isn't status updates for just updating your status ?

Yes, you will get takers. Whether the income you can generate will cover the investment in land and fitting out costs is not something that will get answered by a forum. I know of sites that have over 100 players paying £25 each every fortnight. Whether you will get the same income is another matter. If you are serious and not just indulging in some daydreaming as we all do, you need to do a very serious and unemotionally involved business plan. With Airsoft, its very easy to get carried away in excitement. Hobbies that become businesses tend to stop being hobbies. The enjoyment of Airsoft for me is to get away from the realities of working in the real industry.

I thought there was a site just outside Colchester ?

No I don't run a site. Wouldn't want the time commitment TBH. Im interested in milsims and setting up theme games so Ive spoken to quite a few site operators and my comments are based on snippets Ive picked up.

If you look into it, I think you will find that there are planning application issues if you play more than 26 times a year I think it is. That is why most organisers just rent land that can be used for other things the rest of the time. As to game content, you could fill those 26 events - its just a question of the mix you adopt. I suspect most organisers go for ordinary skirmishes because running themed games every two weeks takes a LOT of planning and preparation.

Yes its a good idea but don't underestimate whats involved. If you want to sell places to others to cover the costs, its a big commitment as you have to turn out on every game day and plan it all out in advance, plus your need public liability insurance, etc.