Hertfordshire - Potential new site - Market Research

Alex34 said:
A small shop with food and drinks, especially stuff like bottled water, sports drinks and energy bars.

Proper adult lunch options... not just hot dogs and hamburgers. Maybe have a local eatery cater meals with options being chosen as skirmishers check-in in the morning. Or atleast offer panines, baguettes and proper sandwiches on site with packets of crisps.

HPA filling stations would be fantastic. If you only make a little margin off of refills you will make far more overall from the convenience aspect.

A small airsoft shop on site is always very handy. If not, at least offer extra items like cleaning kits, masks, gloves, magazines, batteries (packs and AAA / AA), etc.

Clean, well suited toilet facilities goes without saying.

Adequate seating and work benches are always an issue at every site I've been to.
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We are quite the opposites.

The best games I played were where there were none of the above. No safe zone, no toilet, no shop, no food, no breaks. I spent the whole day on the field with what I brought with me. If you have a decent breakfast, you don't need food throughout the day until about 5pm. 2-3 muesli bars are optional during the day. I always find amazing people who think they would starve if they don't eat for an hour. :)

If someone wants to eat, guard duty on the HQ and eat in game.

On one of these games (not in the UK) it was 32 degrees, and I was guarding the FOB. When I left in the morning I thought I will only be away for 1-2 hours from the HQ but later they changed the orders and I ran out of water. I asked for water on the radio and sure enough an hour later a squad did bring me some leftover water in a bottle. Still one of my best games. :)

Again, that's just me, I fully understand most people wouldn't want to do this.

 
Samurai said:
We are quite the opposites.

The best games I played were where there were none of the above. No safe zone, no toilet, no shop, no food, no breaks. I spent the whole day on the field with what I brought with me. If you have a decent breakfast, you don't need food throughout the day until about 5pm. 2-3 muesli bars are optional during the day. I always find amazing people who think they would starve if they don't eat for an hour. :)

If someone wants to eat, guard duty on the HQ and eat in game.

On one of these games (not in the UK) it was 32 degrees, and I was guarding the FOB. When I left in the morning I thought I will only be away for 1-2 hours from the HQ but later they changed the orders and I ran out of water. I asked for water on the radio and sure enough an hour later a squad did bring me some leftover water in a bottle. Still one of my best games. :)

Again, that's just me, I fully understand most people wouldn't want to do this.
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If I were at a milsim then fine but there is no reason why a skirmish site should have no food and drinks.

 
I'm from Stevenage, so a new site would be a welcome addition. There is one currently set in Welwyn but its only on once a month due to the nature of the site.

 
I'd be looking for the following:

Good facilities (Toilet, shop, food & supplies)

Good marshals/clear rules

I do agree a site map would be useful

Good well thought out covered areas in the game zones like small clusters of structures/trench or earth works

In my dream head I'd love to have a go in a kill house for pistol & shotgun use.

A good shooting range

And well thought out & planned games like a theme that runs through the day and effects the games in a narrative so each game has an effect on the next.

I'm not really into the no breaks idea,I go to airsoft for fun and banter, so not to get involved in an endurance iron man competition, I do that when I go out mountain biking, but I suppose there is nothing stopping people organising separate days like this, I'm just saying that it wouldn't appeal to me.

Apart from that I cant really think of anything that will be of use to the OP

 
I definitely agree with the shooting range; somewhere to properly set kit up before starting the day (I don't have the means to do it before I arrive, so would be really helpful for me). Additionally, I'd say a focus on cutting waiting times to a minimum would be nice. Often I see sites overrun their start times by struggling to get everyone through the chromo and muster them for the safety briefing in time.

(Food would be nice too, but I'm happy with frankfurters in a bun personally :P )

 
I'm also in Stevenage, and there is another 5 of us that all live in Stevenage, and we'd probably be happy to come and help with any building or other works.

I think the important part is community. A good, active Facebook group is great. Don't go banning things, post up and see what people say, same for rules, always be willing to adapt them from players feedback.

One that would be good to see is maybe a few hours on a Saturday as a range day, maybe charge a few quid for people to turn up and do fettling, hop up etc etc.

Food and drink I'm not too fussed about...I don't see the difficulty in bringing a packed lunch. I saw another site recently just ordered in 20 pizzas or so from a local takeaway and sold them st £1.50 a slice which was a fairly good idea.

Toilets would be good.

Decent safe zone shelter for the miserable or sunny days.

I also think it's important to make people start booking in before they turn up, gives you a rough idea of numbers, and also means you can stop it becoming over crowded. Went to a site recently where they had unprecedented numbers, and unfortunately it was one of the worst days airsofting I've had.

Other than that, decent cover, decent game ideas, with fair marshalls and owners, great!

 
Offering affordable collection from local rail (or from the nearest bus stop to the site) services would certainly bring more players, either by running it directly or sorting out a deal with a local taxi service.

I know of four airsoft sites, which I personally cannot reach because they are 1-3KM from public transport.

 
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I'm pretty much on the same page as the others:

- Shop with consumables

- Drinks/Snacks for sale

- Lit, covered safe zone

- Friendly & Fair marshalling team

- Perhaps one long game (after lunch through to the end of the day) and two shorter games (from the beginning of the day through to lunch)

- Long & Clear shooting range with marked distances

I'm based in Watford and would be happy to come up and help with construction of any of this.

 
Slightly controversial this might be.

Regulars only games not more than 12 times a year. No hires, nobody new to the site, advanced booking only. Not enough occurrences to pull the regulars away from the normal game days.

I am not advocating a charging membership scheme, just give free membership people that have played at least twice every 60 days for the last 180 days.

And that brings me to an important point, free UKARA administration.

 
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I do not mind paid membership, my UCAP one is only £12 for the year so reasonable. If the site is UKARA registered that can be a plus, and agree with the free administration for it.

I like the idea of under 18s occasionally having their own game day seperate from over 18s.

Also holding the main game day on the Saturday, that would allow airsofters the opportunity to play at two sites over a weekend.

 
Sacarathe said:
Slightly controversial this might be.

Regulars only games not more than 12 times a year. No hires, nobody new to the site, advanced booking only. Not enough occurrences to pull the regulars away from the normal game days.

I am not advocating a charging membership scheme, just give free membership people that have played at least twice every 60 days for the last 180 days.

And that brings me to an important point, free UKARA administration.
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I like that the idea of regs meeting up more often,

I thought UKARA was free admin, I never paid any fees??

 
Sacarathe said:
Same is true of Sunday? :wacko:

Alternating could be good though.
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I do not know the percentage of sites that are open Saturday compared to Sunday, having only been to Sunday games and not carried out any research about it, but my assumption is that the majority of sites are open on Sunday. Therefore, having the option of a Saturday game would be most welcome.

Some players have to work on weekends and have family commitments which will limit the number of Sunday games they are able to attend. Nothing to do with pecuniary privilage, simply having the opportunity to play two days over a free weekend which is the same as someone who plays 2 games over different weekends (so both cost the same).

 
Some shelter in the SafeZone!

I don't mind gettig soggy and wet when it comes to playing in the field. But when it's lunch/or storing kit - it's always nice to have some shade or shelter from the rain.

Nothing fancy, but a gazeebo to get under would make the world of difference IMHO. :-)

 
Jedi_Master said:
No, there are some (exploitative) sites that charge an admin fee to complete your UKARA paperwork.
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I see, have seen a few from various links on here, its a bit of paper with most of it filled by 'you', FFZ just did less than 24hrs later! :) ......ok they have had quite a bit off me since October! haha

 
A good quality website is important, often the first impression counts and so you need to make it user friendly and keep it updated. I for one do not do facebook, so without a website for your site I would not attend. This is an example of a good website http://www.bushvalleyairsoft.co.uk/

 
good one Jedi, not on FB either so rely on websites for info.

and a website that's kept up to date as well, :)

 
I will second a lot that has already been said,

Some shelter in the safezone. Stocked with the simple items and consumables you would expect, pyro, gas, bbs, gloves, hats, eye and face protection. Toilet facilities. A small selection of snacks and drinks etc, if you want to offer lunch I would suggest this is something simple that can be done in bulk. For the most part I take my own lunch so might buy a drink and a chocolate bar possibly.

In the safezone I would include a well lit and stable workshop bench with a selection of common sized tools, Allen keys etc. Maybe even access to a soldering station. For fettling and running repairs.

A decent range area, as said before, lanes, with targets at known distances for people to test kit.

An efficient chrono system (eg ask regulars to chrono on arrival mark the passes then kit up, others can chrono as and when or on the way out to the field, or and I understand that this might be controversial you offer chrono's at a range and conduct lots of random spot checks as and when people pass a marshal, marking guns that have passed). Use a proper conversion chart and players own ammo, rather than standardise for a set mass eg 0.20g due to Joule creep. Either that or put a few rounds in with a speed loader.

Trusted marshals, remember briefings should be kept simple and brief especially safety briefs, there is nothing wrong with a script or a check list but keep it as short as possible, I hate spending an hour kitting up and in chrono get all set to play then have to stand around for a 20 to 30 min safety briefing.

Interesting and varied games. Your marshals and players are the key, players often have great ideas of games. I suggested to one site owner that he might like to run a simple competition for game ideas after his game days became very predictable. Competition entries could be emailed and they would use a set formula/layout and ultimately could be printed onto cards that could be laminated. Save your marshals scratching their heads during and between games to come up with the next objectives. And for a free game or a bag of bbs per winning entry you might find people willing to share.

Accurate maps of the site! And by accurate I mean not an aerial photo copied from Google earth. An actual topographic map with local points of interest would be very helpful (ie the bunker and trench systems you mention wanting to build). You can get apps that can do this. The ability to move using a map and compass would be helpful especially to those new to your site. Large maps for briefing, maybe on a board, smaller copies for new players and a downloadable copy on your uber fancy website (I'm a teacher with access to my own laminator, waterproof maps make me happy!)

 
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