So today I went skirmishing for the first time...

[NickM]

Its easy to run a sh!t site with few players, players who aren't friendly and lots of new people coming through. The challenge is to make a site that people want to come back to time and time again because it is everything a site is supposed to be and pushing all the time to get better, even if it means driving long distances or being inconvenienced to use it.

I used to live in an area with about 4 sites within 40 mins drive, and another 4 within an hour. But where did I find myself playing on the most regular basis, 1hr 30mins away at UCAP Sandpit. Why? Because the day was just so much more enjoyable there than any of the other 8, the players were great, the marshals were nice guys who kept on top of things and the games were interesting. One of those 8 was TWA on Featherbed Ln. although I haven't played there I was warned off by some of my team mates. The one of the closest 4 I would have played more regularly was EAG Worthing but it was the furthest away from the rest of my teammates who all lived around the M25. The site itself isn't especially brilliant just because of its layout and that they cant really build anything structures wise, but the marshals and regulars were a really great bunch who did a hell of a lot with the little they had.

Now I live in Norwich, but I'm itching to get back to the pit some time soon and it's a 5 hr round trip!!! I've sampled one of the sites in the area but have yet to give Gunman Norwich a go, I'm looking forward to it as Gunman have a damn good reputation.

 

[BrightCandle]

I am guessing I know quite a few of the TWA and UCAP guys. Sorry I haven't played the last month my house flooded and I have been dealing with the aftermath. Will be at UCAP in a couple of weeks time if the weather is OK.

Anyhow I tend to agree about sites. TWA is one of those sites where I liked a particular group of guys more than the site as a whole. The games themselves IMO aren't that fantastic and the site is a bit too small for what I would ideally like tactically. But some of the guys who attended there in summer/autumn are good friends and so I find my games there are a bit mixed. Its a very underdeveloped site and the marshals are pretty friendly and its a bit of fun and not super super serious. I don't think its a bad site like bunker 51, nor is it an unsafe site like Epsom bunkerr, its OK its just not amazing. UCAP sandpit is a completely different game style, 2 halves and basically one game played in 2 different directions in a large open space.

Billericay is actually my favourite site of the ones I play in around London, because its woodland (which is one of TWA's strengths compared to UCAP which is mostly open ground) and because its really well developed. Benches and food stalls and such that are part of the site and its really well built and constantly changing and its big and has a lot of players. Its also quite tactical, you can really flank all the way around if you want to, which in UCAP is kind of impossible, its possible to have a wide front but its open enough they see you doing it and defence can often stop it, and if its in the CQB area around the buildings obviously its a bit more fatal funnel driven. UCAP is the one place I have had people calling me out more than any other place (yeah I wasn't hit, they were missing by meters) but I just walked away as the aggression was a concern for me. They need to get that in check on that site.

I have found there to be great guys and less than nice guys at all these sites, I think in the end they all have decent marshals and the game is pretty much fair all around. None of them are 100% on the people front however. If anything I would rather get the gang together and choose to play sites as I find playing with the gents who I get on with (D, J and T) more important to me than playing any one particular site. Whether the other side appears to be cheating or not doesn't matter to me, I to some extent have seen my BBs do crazy things, these guns just aren't as accurate as people sometimes think they are and so I just assume the other guy has a better gun and is a better shot, I don't try to worry too much about it.

 

[Sitting Duck]

When TWA had urban it was the nutz - alas that is gone

Team Nuclear Waste used to play at TWA Woodland spring/summer but they have stopped

though 1 or 2 of them turn up from time to time and show us noobs how its done

TWA is a cheap & cheerful site like I have said - not the best and most serious I admit

but is good to get ya feet wet so to speak and in my case on doorstep and perfect for getting ukara

£20 full walk-on or £10 for half day, shop sells stuff at good prices, takes safety seriously I found

They run on Saturday's rather than Sunday's like many sites but maybe not for the more serious players

But I try not to take it too seriously and go for fun and often have a laugh, keep me ukara up, break a gun etc...

Son normally goes full day - drop him off and pop back in afternoon for half a day with any stuff he/we may need

So though it may not be the perfect site for some it does me and will continue to visit as its so local

Might pop down Epsom again, or one day try Mall and/or Sandpitt with more "serious" players

(might have to grow up a bit myself - so it might be a while before I check out Mall though)

 

[Lozart]

So though it may not be the perfect site for some it does me and will continue to visit as its so local

Might pop down Epsom again, or one day try Mall and/or Sandpitt with more "serious" players

(might have to grow up a bit myself - so it might be a while before I check out Mall though)

You don't need to be a grown up to enjoy the Mall. I'm certainly not. Just the same as anywhere really - try not to be a dick. And learn to love running up and down stairs in the dark.

 

[Sitting Duck]

Ahh the trying not to be a dick bit may take a while for me - kidding (sort of)

well deffo may try mall as I enjoyed cqb - think its funnier too

like when chubby & a few of ya get wedged in a doorway and peeps yelling move move move

and the classic - is anyone in there ya wonder as you peek a corner...

CRACK - yup HIT - deffo somebody in there as I just got my head shot off

 

[BrightCandle]

The Marhsals at the Mall astounded me. While at TWA they are friendly and at Billericay they are very professional the ones at the Mall are just incredible. The place is kind of famous for its long briefing but dang do they really think about the safety of their players. The game I played there sort of soured in the afternoon as some hit calling was being questioned and the marshalls were on it. We got this wonderful talk, not just about assuming the other guy was honest but also a warning to those players with plates and chest rigs about how they wouldn't feel the hits and how important it was for them to pay attention. It really got me thinking about moving and the sound of being hit and how hard those two things were together. I really didn't like the gameplay in the mall, it wasn't very tactical it was just close quarters and chaotic but at the same time it as a very good site that is really well run.