The 'How Did Your Airsoft Day Go? Thread

[Cannonfodder]

Just had a great afternoon at Blackstone. There was a good mix of regular and new players and it was good to seethe newbies getting stuck in rather than hanging back. Games on the whole went well despite one player on the red team who was a little reluctant to take his hits. The marshals dealt with it though and after he'd been spoken to suddenly started making excuses about needing to go. Why someone would think they can get away with cheating at a site where engagement ranges are measured in feet and everyone is wearing numbered armbands is beyond me but meh, sod him. After he went I didn't see or hear of any hit taking problems.

 

[Jaylordofwaargh]

My airsoft day, possibly the last of the year with the hopefully notable Santa vs Elves at RedAlret, was at the Dragons Lair. After getting a decent start to the prolonged journey (no c2c service from central out to the sticks) we managed to get to site early-ish (840) and started to bomb up, its quiet though, we normally arrive closer to 920 so thought maybe everyone does to. Nope

Didn't happen Ray comes round and let's us know there is not enough players for the day. It's called and we all start packing up.

So after spaffing the travel costs, I do look at transporting myself and the kid to Billericay but cabs being cabs, and our mood already sour we turned homeward. And played video games instead.

It's frustrating, Dragons Lair has its faults sure, but its not a bad site, rules are strict in the safezone and enforced. They are putting work in to improve the games zone.

It is also accessible from east london (on public transport), in ways Billericay and plantation are not.

 

[Colin Allen]

My airsoft day, possibly the last of the year with the hopefully notable Santa vs Elves at RedAlret, was at the Dragons Lair. After getting a decent start to the prolonged journey (no c2c service from central out to the sticks) we managed to get to site early-ish (840) and started to bomb up, its quiet though, we normally arrive closer to 920 so thought maybe everyone does to. Nope

Didn't happen Ray comes round and let's us know there is not enough players for the day. It's called and we all start packing up.

So after spaffing the travel costs, I do look at transporting myself and the kid to Billericay but cabs being cabs, and our mood already sour we turned homeward. And played video games instead.

It's frustrating, Dragons Lair has its faults sure, but its not a bad site, rules are strict in the safezone and enforced. They are putting work in to improve the games zone.

It is also accessible from east london (on public transport), in ways Billericay and plantation are not.

That is a real shame; I really like Ray.  However, the current site is nowhere near as good as the old one and the work they have done has not improved it.  Where in East London are you based?

 

[Hami]

My airsoft day, possibly the last of the year with the hopefully notable Santa vs Elves at RedAlret, was at the Dragons Lair. After getting a decent start to the prolonged journey (no c2c service from central out to the sticks) we managed to get to site early-ish (840) and started to bomb up, its quiet though, we normally arrive closer to 920 so thought maybe everyone does to. Nope

Didn't happen Ray comes round and let's us know there is not enough players for the day. It's called and we all start packing up.

So after spaffing the travel costs, I do look at transporting myself and the kid to Billericay but cabs being cabs, and our mood already sour we turned homeward. And played video games instead.

It's frustrating, Dragons Lair has its faults sure, but its not a bad site, rules are strict in the safezone and enforced. They are putting work in to improve the games zone.

It is also accessible from east london (on public transport), in ways Billericay and plantation are not.

Thats crazy to get to a site and there's not enough players! 

Had a good day today. Borrowed my friends ssg10 which i found quite good, i havent used nov stuff before and for something out the box, quite impressive. 

My vsr is on its way out so now i'm in the mood for a new sniper. Will have to wait until i'm home after my travels though + as it gets too rainy, i tend to not play

 

[EvilMonkee]

Just had a great afternoon at Blackstone. There was a good mix of regular and new players and it was good to seethe newbies getting stuck in rather than hanging back. Games on the whole went well despite one player on the red team who was a little reluctant to take his hits. The marshals dealt with it though and after he'd been spoken to suddenly started making excuses about needing to go. Why someone would think they can get away with cheating at a site where engagement ranges are measured in feet and everyone is wearing numbered armbands is beyond me but meh, sod him. After he went I didn't see or hear of any hit taking problems.

I am only up the road and not been yet, let me know when you go next

 

[Tackle]

My airsoft day, possibly the last of the year with the hopefully notable Santa vs Elves at RedAlret, was at the Dragons Lair. After getting a decent start to the prolonged journey (no c2c service from central out to the sticks) we managed to get to site early-ish (840) and started to bomb up, its quiet though, we normally arrive closer to 920 so thought maybe everyone does to. Nope

Didn't happen Ray comes round and let's us know there is not enough players for the day. It's called and we all start packing up.

So after spaffing the travel costs, I do look at transporting myself and the kid to Billericay but cabs being cabs, and our mood already sour we turned homeward. And played video games instead.

It's frustrating, Dragons Lair has its faults sure, but its not a bad site, rules are strict in the safezone and enforced. They are putting work in to improve the games zone.

It is also accessible from east london (on public transport), in ways Billericay and plantation are not.

Thats a real shame, for both you & the organisers. 

I'll be honest & say that if he's not getting the numbers he needs on a day when the weather forecast is pretty good, he needs to have a good hard look at his business, either aspects of the site & gameplay, or his calendar schedule if its running gamedays that conflict with his nearest (& possibly better ?) rivals ?

 

[Jaylordofwaargh]

Where in East London are you based?

Custom House near the Excel, with the lad only being 11 l, there are limits on where we can go. Driver Wood for example is similar in travel costs but can take up to two hours if the trains don't align.

Mayhem, Billericay and indeed plantation, are near double the cab fairs from station to site. 

good hard look at his business, either aspects of the site & gameplay, or his calendar schedule if its running gamedays that conflict with his nearest (& possibly better ?) rivals ?

The three other sites "close" by run weekly games, Dragons Lair, 2nd and 4th Sundays. 

The "smokes only" is imposed by the hotel, the land, is concise,  although I'm not fully convinced another cqb area is what's needed (that's the current work in progress). 

 

[Baser]

Custom House near the Excel, with the lad only being 11 l, there are limits on where we can go. Driver Wood for example is similar in travel costs but can take up to two hours if the trains don't align.

Mayhem, Billericay and indeed plantation, are near double the cab fairs from station to site. 

The three other sites "close" by run weekly games, Dragons Lair, 2nd and 4th Sundays. 

The "smokes only" is imposed by the hotel, the land, is concise,  although I'm not fully convinced another cqb area is what's needed (that's the current work in progress). 

Have a look at Apocalypse in Kent, you can train from Stratford to Sittingbourne and then it’s 10 mins in a cab.  They have a Call of Duty game most Saturdays, which are for kids and parents and an adult only game on a Sunday.  Not been the call of duty games as I don’t have kiddos but the photos from site look like it’s busy, adult games can have 200+ players. 

 

[Nick G]

Fun day yesterday, well half day since I'm nursing a pinched nerve in a foot .  Good games with lots of pushing by both teames . Got a bang kill on a sniper and hit one chap at decent distance through the gap between 2 staked containers , both of which were extremely satisfying !

Ran the WE based L119 A2 all through , with , as usual, no issues 

 

[Impulse]

Ran the WE based L119 A2 all through , with , as usual, no issues 

Did you need to do much internally for this to work well? I'm... potentially picking up two WE rifles in the near future (an m14 and an SVD); the m14 will basically not be WE any more with the parts that will be in it, but the SVD will be much more vanilla, so I want to know if I'm setting myself up for pain 

 

[Colin Allen]

Thats a real shame, for both you & the organisers. 

I'll be honest & say that if he's not getting the numbers he needs on a day when the weather forecast is pretty good, he needs to have a good hard look at his business, either aspects of the site & gameplay, or his calendar schedule if its running gamedays that conflict with his nearest (& possibly better ?) rivals ?

Having played at the old site many times and the new site several times, in my view the problem is that the new site is just not very good.  It is awkward in terms of size, shape and topography and, in my opinion, has been turned into an overly constricted and badly designed outdoor CQB site with apparently little thought for how the site works.

I don’t like writing this; I really like the owner and liked the old site, which was wonderfully varied and interesting to play at, although the games could be somewhat repetitive.

 

[Tackle]

 in my view the problem is that the new site is just not very good.  It is awkward in terms of size, shape and topography and, in my opinion, has been turned into an overly constricted and badly designed outdoor CQB site with apparently little thought for how the site works.

Do you think it can be fixed with regards to layout etc ?, or is it just not "fit for purpose" due to the aforementioned ?

If its the former, maybe people need to give him feedback in the form of constructive criticism ?, help him get back on track

 

[Colin Allen]

Do you think it can be fixed with regards to layout etc ?, or is it just not "fit for purpose" due to the aforementioned ?

If its the former, maybe people need to give him feedback in the form of constructive criticism ?, help him get back on track

All of this is only my opinion based on playing airsoft at a number of sites for many years and marshalling for a few  years.  Ray once asked if I would become a marshal at the original site.

The site is fundamentally flawed with regard to its size, shape and topography.  It is small and consists of two main areas: a narrow, relatively steeply sided valley and a plateau.  
 

The first few times I went there, it was relatively undeveloped, with a couple of structures in the valley and barricades of various sorts on the plateau; this allowed the games to flow well.  Player numbers were good and the days were enjoyable.

Since then, more and more structures have been added, breaking up the flow and changing the nature of the games.  This focus on outdoor CQB started in the latter days of the old site, when a rather large CQB maze appeared at the back of the fort.  Turning it into a CQB site is not necessarily a bad thing, if it is done in a planned manner with a lot of consideration of how the site will work.

It does have a good safe zone, which is very rigorously policed; if you enter it with a mag in a weapon, you are going home.

Player numbers have been dropping for a while.

I think it would take quite a brave person to point out the site’s issues to Ray.  I tried to the last time I went.
 

 

[Tackle]

All of this is only my opinion based on playing airsoft at a number of sites for many years and marshalling for a few  years.  Ray once asked if I would become a marshal at the original site.

The site is fundamentally flawed with regard to its size, shape and topography.  It is small and consists of two main areas: a narrow, relatively steeply sided valley and a plateau.  
 

The first few times I went there, it was relatively undeveloped, with a couple of structures in the valley and barricades of various sorts on the plateau; this allowed the games to flow well.  Player numbers were good and the days were enjoyable.

Since then, more and more structures have been added, breaking up the flow and changing the nature of the games.  This focus on outdoor CQB started in the latter days of the old site, when a rather large CQB maze appeared at the back of the fort.  Turning it into a CQB site is not necessarily a bad thing, if it is done in a planned manner with a lot of consideration of how the site will work.

It does have a good safe zone, which is very rigorously policed; if you enter it with a mag in a weapon, you are going home.

Player numbers have been dropping for a while.

I think it would take quite a brave person to point out the site’s issues to Ray.  I tried to the last time I went.
 

If he's that kinda guy, & i mean it the nicest way, he needs to swallow his pride or park his ego, if he's going to survive & prosper, the fact that he's previously asked you to Marshall for him shows an element of trust, maybe its worth having another go at constructive critique, if not in person then a call or maybe even an email, explaining where you think he's gone wrong with the layout & how he could gradually improve it, maybe by recycling or reconfiguring some of his structures that have negatively affected the games ebb & flow.

Don't get me wrong, don't know the guy, nor have I played his sites, but like you I've played lots of other sites, some great & some dreadful, & sometimes the bad ones have enormous potential but are badly run, crap staff, shite game scenarios, or alternatively amazing enthusiastic staff but the site layout/size/location makes decent play untenable. 

But none of us want to see a sites demise, we've lost too many already to development etc, especially cqb themed.

 

[Colin Allen]

If he's that kinda guy, & i mean it the nicest way, he needs to swallow his pride or park his ego, if he's going to survive & prosper, the fact that he's previously asked you to Marshall for him shows an element of trust, maybe its worth having another go at constructive critique, if not in person then a call or maybe even an email, explaining where you think he's gone wrong with the layout & how he could gradually improve it, maybe by recycling or reconfiguring some of his structures that have negatively affected the games ebb & flow.

Don't get me wrong, don't know the guy, nor have I played his sites, but like you I've played lots of other sites, some great & some dreadful, & sometimes the bad ones have enormous potential but are badly run, crap staff, shite game scenarios, or alternatively amazing enthusiastic staff but the site layout/size/location makes decent play untenable. 

But none of us want to see a sites demise, we've lost too many already to development etc, especially cqb themed.

Oh, it isn’t about his pride or ego; it is more about him being one of those really nice little old guys that you suspect could rip you apart with his bare hands and dispose of you so that you would never be found .  He is a lovely bloke but as hard as nails.

I am now aware that a discussion about the layout of the site is currently ongoing.

 

[mrfoxhound]

dragons lair is a hard pass if all they are doing is dumping pallets down and calling it cqb there done , View attachment 155914

ill leave me review from a year ago View attachment 155915

 

[Colin Allen]

dragons lair is a hard pass if all they are doing is dumping pallets down and calling it cqb there done , 

That is not what they are doing; they are building structures to create CQB areas.

While I am critical of the way the site has been developed, I am objective enough to recognise that they are trying to do the best they can with it according to their view of what the site should be.  
 

However, in their position, I would be very concerned about the dwindling attendance and trying to find out why it is happening.

 

[mrfoxhound]

That is not what they are doing; they are building structures to create CQB areas.

While I am critical of the way the site has been developed, I am objective enough to recognise that they are trying to do the best they can with it according to their view of what the site should be.  
 

However, in their position, I would be very concerned about the dwindling attendance and trying to find out why it is happening.

best they can with it is just not good enough 

 

[Colin Allen]

best they can with it is just not good enough 

I suspect that nothing would ever be good enough for you.  Maybe you could offer them your advice and assistance with developing the site rather than sitting at the side throwing stones.

 

[mrfoxhound]

I suspect that nothing would ever be good enough for you.  Maybe you could offer them your advice and assistance with developing the site rather than sitting at the side throwing stones.

i did i left them a review, a very constructive one a year ago , nothing has changed , i predicted they would be done with in another year , gone are the days of throwing pallets on a field and taking cash in hand for a days airsofting