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The 'How Did Your Airsoft Day Go? Thread

Tactical Pith Helmet said:
You can have a great game 5 v 5 with the right set up/rules.  Hope they sort the site for the reduced numbers.  One game day a month is crap if it clashes with other things. 

There does seem to be a drop in player numbers noted in  few posts of late.
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I'd go out on a limb and suggest the cold rainy weather is the issue despite skin being waterproof :)

The site at NTAC has a good but small CQB area they call "little mexico" but they also have another smaller killhouse styled area that doesn't get used often and it's completely disconnected from "little mexico" area which is annoying but the ground/hills will only give them so much space to work and I suspect they've had to do as best they can with the terrain.

 
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MrTea said:
I'd go out on a limb and suggest the cold rainy weather is the issue despite skin being waterproof
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Mmm, that's a bit of a dilemma for sites now.  The unspecified-virus-of-unknown-origin got them used to running with pre-booked limited numbers. But now they're finding that airsofters are a fickle bunch who will happily RSVP then wake up on Sunday morning, hear the rain on the roof, roll over and go back to sleep.

They're going to have to decide whether to go with full pre-pay - and accept reduced numbers who book and pay, and those who pay and block slots but then don't show up - or go back to the Before Times of actual walk on days, with the uncertainly of whether they'll get nobody showing up when it rains, or everybody showing up when it's sunny.

I have no idea how this will shake out, but to be brutally honest, I'm more in the category of player who'd rather make the decision on the morning, not eleventeen days beforehand.

 
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I wouldn't blame the weather exclusively.  I noticed lower numbers all summer and autumn.  It was dry this year until late October.  

Pre Rona, my local site was pre-booking to avoid too many players turning up.  Numbers were nowhere near that level this summer on the few occasions that I did one day games.  Several regular faces have dropped out for certain.  

 
I've noticed lower numbers at some sites/events and my local is now continuing to push the book and pre pay while the next closest is running non refundable deposit to book a place to ensure numbers. Understandable really as they have to pay to rent the site.

 
I think part of it is just purely financial. Christmas is always tight for a lot of people, and for reasons-totally-unrelated-to-lockdowns-we-swear a lot of people are currently suffering financially and therefore simply can't afford to play.

 
I think its due to returning to normal. 

During the lockdowns and we were all keen to get out and play but couldn't. 

There's normally a relatively steady flow of new players, none of them could give it a go. So when games returned you had regulars frothing for a game, 6+ months worth of noobs and the people who would have been new players at opening time and the subsequent few months.

Add that into sites restricting numbers so that airsoft itch couldn't be scratched as easily and this new concept of pre booking etc meant there's almost a frenzy for spaces. Look at the goal as an example, they were getting booked out 4 months in advance.

Regulars are back to their regular pattern, the mass influx of new players has been satiated and those who weren't going to be long term regulars have stopped and that steady flow of new players is back into it's normal rhythm.

Throw in the weather, the economic realities a lot of people are facing and the above and I think this could be how it is for a while. 

Good sites and site organisers make the best of their site and the players they have, 5v5 can be awesome. 

 
There were about 130 on site last weekend, probably around 90 this weekend just gone.

So my regular site isn't showing signs yet.

 
A mate who runs shows has seen a drop in footfall.  I simply don't think that there is much spare cash around for a variety of reasons.  

Luckily, I think that we are like alcoholics unaffected by the minimum unit pricing.  It's too late for us to kick the pew habit now.   They'll have to pry our rifs from our cold stiff hands, all the heating money squandered on running around the woods in fancy dress.

 
Back at Zed again last night. Lots of fun as always and new game formats which keeps things fresh. Yeah our team wasn't the winning one but I don't think anyone really cared, we all had fun shooting people in the dark and that's all that matters.

Took a doozie of a hit to the forehead, other guy was coming up the escalator so his position meant my cap caught the BB and directed it to just above my eyebrow. Only noticed I was leaking when I got back to the safe zone and got that 'ooh that looks hurty' look from the other players and then a marshal appeared with a first aid kit ? Bit of a wipe and with the application of the worlds smallest plaster I was ready to go again. I look like I've popped a massive zit today though.

Worth noting that hit taking was on point all night, didn't hear a single grumble from anyone.

Also my rental battery went flat and while it was being changed a guy on our team handed my his MP7 and said 'fill yer boots' (or words to that effect) and I have to say that I could certainly be tempted!! Although I'd need a ton of mags ?

Oh and one more thing ... I finally got my UKARA sorted!!!! There'll be a couple of deliveries next week ☺️

 
Set up at one of Red Alert's semi regular car boots.

Made about £350
Traded some molle pouches and a couple of drop legs for a Mil-Tec ghillie suit, picked up a TM PX4 with three mags for a friend, and a TM MP5K High Cycle for another friend. Good day.

 
This morning I wandered off to Tower Airsoft in Essex, which is one of my regular sites.  It is a small site with some good structures including a castle, a church, a village and a bridge.  It also seems to attract a good type of player.  Their game days are run very well by Miguel, who some may know from CAMO, a shop and CQB site on Canvey Island (home of the magnificent Dr. Feelgood).

I have been there when there were 100+ people, although the usual attendance is about 40 to 50.  On this cold morning, with a pretty grim weather forecast, 20 people turned up.

It really was cold and I was very pleased to have my French army heavyweight fleece for the pre-game time in the morning; it is the warmest item of clothing that I have ever owned.

Despite, or maybe because of, the lack of numbers, it was a very good day.  The games were well adapted to the low number of players and ran well, with good play from both sides.  Alongside "normal" airsoft games, there was a fun game of armed American Football, using the bus windows as goals.  Trying to score a field goal proved to be a somewhat perilous activity.  Perhaps it will catch on as a new sport.

Guns used:
LCT PP-19-01 "Is than an MP5?" ?
APS UAR, with King Arms AK style M4 mags, just to make it look even weirder. ?

Milbro Classic CO2 M1911.

 
Absolute comedy of errors today. Still managed to have fun, but holy crap was it annoying.

  1. I literally forgot my shirt. Not joking, I totally forgot to bring my MARPAT combat shirt so I had to play the whole day (as a ghillie sniper with a ghillie cape) in a black fleece instead. Good thing I practice like this during the summer, so I knew my camo and concealment fundamental skills are good and I knew what I could do and get away with having the entire front of my torso just not camo'd up at all!
  2. First game started, I was really hyped to play as injury and gun issues have stifled my last few game days and we were playing a part of the site we never play, which I feel we need to play more because it's great. I spend 20 minutes fighting through thick, overgrown foliage (lots of stamping down on thorns to clear a path) getting into a stupid sneaky position with my HPA VSR, which I decided to run today because it was 5 degrees celcius so not the best weather for gas guns. Got into the position, could see the whole enemy team from a lovely elevated but still well concealed hide on the flank. Lined up my first shot, pulled the trigger aaaaaaaand... click. Solenoid activated and no air came out. Checked my tank and it was empty, so I have a leak somewhere.
  3. Tested my hicapa back in the safe zone and one of the mags feed lips decided they didn't want to be there any more and sheared off, snapping and flying off somewhere. The spring and follower thankfully remained in the magazine, but need new feed lips for one of my hicapa mags now. Ugh!
  4. Went back to the safe zone and sighted in my m700 that I also brought as a backup. I brought my 2J m700 build since the sight lines are longer at Worthing through the winter and as it was 2J on 144a in 11 degrees celcius, so I figured with more powerful gas it'd be fine at 5 celcius. Went to chrono it with the ASG ultraair I have (which is a little bit stronger than standard green gas, let alone 144a) and it was coming up between 0.9J at the lowest and 1.16J at the highest. Not what I wanted, but at least it was working, conveniently without any MED, and it was sailing the .48s out there so I went out to use that after lunch and had a LOT of fun. On a timed attack and defend game I was the only one who went around on one flank and kept about 10 people occupied by myself (and started picking them all off as they couldn't pinpoint or hit me). Was a lot of impact and I ran out of ammo (3x 28rd mags goes fast fighting 10 people, though I can usually make them last!)
  5. Got back to the safe zone afterwards, packing stuff away aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand... the AEP lipo in my mp7 tears the end off when I take it out, totally breaking the battery. I go to tape it up so I can battery bin it tomorrow (my local Lidl has a battery bin) and it starts sparking and burning through the tape. The site tech basically pulls the metal contacts off the wires inside so it no longer does that and I tape it all up for the battery bin tomorrow.

I can't think of much more that could've realistically gone wrong, but I still managed to get out there and have a bit of fun. Christmas game next game day, so I'm thinking of wearing some festive reindeer antlers and taking a bolt action rifle; usually reindeer are the hunted, so I'm going to turn that around and have the reindeer become the hunter ?

 
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Impulse said:
Absolute comedy of errors today. Still managed to have fun, but holy crap was it annoying.

  1. I literally forgot my shirt. Not joking, I totally forgot to bring my MARPAT combat shirt so I had to play the whole day (as a ghillie sniper with a ghillie cape) in a black fleece instead. Good thing I practice like this during the summer, so I knew my camo and concealment fundamental skills are good and I knew what I could do and get away with having the entire front of my torso just not camo'd up at all!
  2. First game started, I was really hyped to play as injury and gun issues have stifled my last few game days and we were playing a part of the site we never play, which I feel we need to play more because it's great. I spend 20 minutes fighting through thick, overgrown foliage (lots of stamping down on thorns to clear a path) getting into a stupid sneaky position with my HPA VSR, which I decided to run today because it was 5 degrees celcius so not the best weather for gas guns. Got into the position, could see the whole enemy team from a lovely elevated but still well concealed hide on the flank. Lined up my first shot, pulled the trigger aaaaaaaand... click. Solenoid activated and no air came out. Checked my tank and it was empty, so I have a leak somewhere.
  3. Tested my hicapa back in the safe zone and one of the mags feed lips decided they didn't want to be there any more and sheared off, snapping and flying off somewhere. The spring and follower thankfully remained in the magazine, but need new feed lips for one of my hicapa mags now. Ugh!
  4. Went back to the safe zone and sighted in my m700 that I also brought as a backup. I brought my 2J m700 build since the sight lines are longer at Worthing through the winter and as it was 2J on 144a in 11 degrees celcius, so I figured with more powerful gas it'd be fine at 5 celcius. Went to chrono it with the ASG ultraair I have (which is a little bit stronger than standard green gas, let alone 144a) and it was coming up between 0.9J at the lowest and 1.16J at the highest. Not what I wanted, but at least it was working, conveniently without any MED, and it was sailing the .48s out there so I went out to use that after lunch and had a LOT of fun. On a timed attack and defend game I was the only one who went around on one flank and kept about 10 people occupied by myself (and started picking them all off as they couldn't pinpoint or hit me). Was a lot of impact and I ran out of ammo (3x 28rd mags goes fast fighting 10 people, though I can usually make them last!)
  5. Got back to the safe zone afterwards, packing stuff away aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand... the AEP lipo in my mp7 tears the end off when I take it out, totally breaking the battery. I go to tape it up so I can battery bin it tomorrow (my local Lidl has a battery bin) and it starts sparking and burning through the tape. The site tech basically pulls the metal contacts off the wires inside so it no longer does that and I tape it all up for the battery bin tomorrow.

I can't think of much more that could've realistically gone wrong, but I still managed to get out there and have a bit of fun. Christmas game next game day, so I'm thinking of wearing some festive reindeer antlers and taking a bolt action rifle; usually reindeer are the hunted, so I'm going to turn that around and have the reindeer become the hunter ?
Click to expand...
One of those days when the world conspires to stop you enjoying yourself but you still manage to.

 
Impulse said:
Absolute comedy of errors today. Still managed to have fun, but holy crap was it annoying.

  1. I literally forgot my shirt. Not joking,
Click to expand...
The lad forgot to pack my rifle once.  Whole day with my £10 single shot 18BB magazine last resort spare DE shotgun that I keep in my gunbag.

Still had fun though.  

FWIW I always keep a spare set of DPM in the van JIC of unexpected downpour.  The smock may come in handy if you break down on a rainy/chilly night too.

 
I've probably been meaning to go to Ironsight for 8+ years or so if I'm remembering correctly and actually got around to it yesterday.

When I was walking in to chrono and saw a kid coming the other way wearing a Dye mask, beanie only partially on his head like a nipple and super short AR with a Supreme sticker on the stock I said in my head 'oh no' when I noticed the HPA filling stations right after.  Luckily with the large majority of the site not having a roof over it it's not actually conducive to try-hard sweats shooting their hoses from the hip at all, but it is the only site I've personally been to that has an air compressor setup available for all customers to use so it's only natural it'll attract HPA users (which don't all look like hype beats fortunately).

The things I really care about these days:

-Car park is really close to the road and not an off-road experience bundled in with the skirmish ticket ?

-Toilet block one of the very best I've seen, clearly is actually maintained and cleaned and isn't 25 years old.

-Safe zone/s well covered with more table space than was even needed (no idea if player count was lower than normal admittedly), though a definite shortage of chairs to go along with the tables overall.

-Safety brief wasn't tooo long, just right really.  Game briefs were super quick which was nice in a way but maybe could be just a tad longer for some clarity.

-Unfortunately I didn't partake in the pizza that's on offer so I can't comment.  The shop is fairly nice inside, not a ton of actual airsoft product but I don't go to sites for that stuff anyway.  Seemed to have enough in terms of food/snacks, drinks and consumables which is the main thing.

Personally I only had good experiences with hit taking but I also heard the most shouting and arguing I think I've ever been witness to, though I get the feeling an awful lot of it was the result of less than 3-4 particularly large 40+ man-children (the one female playing and all the actual kids seemed really good).  It made me laugh (inside) when one routinely confrontational cheat caller proceeded to embarrass himself in play, then when shot walk back past me and whisper "psst, there's one right in xyz location" like what the actual fuck mate.. I've never been anywhere where dead men talking was allowed; the classically ironic hypocrisy of it ?

The first game split the site in to 3 areas with unlimited attackers and 1-life defenders; really good overall.  The game after lunch was a smidge stale-matey sometimes but I got to participate in some very fun attacks and holds of ground.  Unfortunately just before lunch we got basically spawn camped for around an hour, one of my more disappointing experiences.  Finished out with a pretty interesting little close range blast fest inside one of the tunnels and they even removed the block on automatic.  Generally pretty good staff overall, nice little site.

 
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@TheFull9 What colour were you? (I was a yellow, and there with my son)

Ironsight is my local, but I've not played there since the late summer. Yesterday was about 15 or so players down from their usual, so you probably played on a better day as when it's sold out you have almost too many players and get log jams + less seating + the car park can get chocka.

There was definitely one guy there yesterday, not a regular, who liked the sound of his own voice and moaned to the other players and marshals constantly about everything as loudly as he could ?

I think yesterday was only the second time they played the close range tunnel game, I've got so many bruises from the full auto at the end, bloody brilliant! ? (I get to role my sleeves up and pretend to be well 'ard at work)

Edit: They have the HPA primarily as they do a lot of paintball as well for corporate events, but it's definitely not a site that's full of speedy bois, you get a really good mix of play styles and loadouts.

 
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