Theme Day

[NickM]

While I applaud your enthusiasm to start something like this Baz JJ, when it gets down to putting money down often the support disappears. I think at least for the first game or two it would be worth having a look at some of the sites that already do something closer to what we are thinking about. If they don't match up maybe its worth approaching them about giving our suggestions a go.

This site you have found sounds good and I've just joined the Gunman forums and expressed my feelings about airsoft suggesting on a scale of Blatfest -> Filmsim -> Milsim, I'd put myself in filmsim but edging towards Milsim. The guys there have informed me that this is definitely the way gunman leans. I hadn't really thought about them before because I'd only seen their adverts for games on a WW2 theme and while I'm keen to give that a go I don't have the time or money to build an entire period loadout including gun/s.

I'd be very willing to give either of your suggestions a go but perhaps the gathering of a squad of likeminded people from AFUK at an existing game is the way forward atleast for a little while. As for kit most of the filmsim/milsim go for a vague Tan vs Green format. As DPM and DDPM is dirt cheap I can't really see why it couldn't be a format for most games especially if they asked people to book in online you could book onto a specific team at the time or have a group of regulars who could turn up with both sets. I know I have both sets in my airsoft bag and wouldn't mind changing to balance numbers if it means being able to ditch the dreaded tape and make PIDing targets much easier. Most of the companies doing these style game don't mind the colour of rigs ( as having two complete sets can get pricy) as long as the uniform underneath matches the team colours, although I have seen one that the rig has to match as well.

Anyway definitely let me know dates when you might be thinking of going, unfortunately work can be a problem but if I can make it I'll be there!

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

Reading through this got me thinking about how potentially do-able it might be to organise a smaller scale airsoft weekender, with maybe around 100-300 people in attendance, if it's advertised right. Maybe more.

Pick a suitable site (or numerous, since some might not be able to take the challenge on board) ensure it's large enough to host that many people and has ample space to have a dedicated safe zone and/or camping area, then just work with the site to come up with a weekend scenario, I think a film-sim type weekend would be great, but it could be run with regular skirmish day flair. So for example, you could fall down and "die" when you get shot as well as shouting hit, everyone could be a 2 minute medic, and on your 2nd death, you bleed out on the spot for 5 minutes, before returning to the camping/safe zone. Or maybe move to the safe zone or your team base for the bleed out, then people could use that time to rearm or have a break or whatever.

Teams could be decided with arm bands, two tones could be allowed, it'd be like a smaller scale Ground Zero Weekender, except with slightly enhanced realism with regard to the game mechanics, and a lot less walking. We could put ammo limits in place or something as well, to up the level of play - no spraying 4 whole high caps into a bush until you hit something.

For anyone who's been to Skirmish before, when the entire site is open I think it could happily house 300 people, the chrono field/range area could be the camping space and safe zone, the shop area could be moved into the field for the event, then that area could be used in play as it has been once before, meaning people can get around that end of the site without needing to put people in the camping zone at risk of being shot in the eye bollocks.

One team could have the fort as a base, the other could have the village, then all the areas around and in between could be in play for special objectives and team missions. The compound and the trench fields would be behind either team's base, so the team opposite could send out small recon patrols to try and sneak into those areas to secure a bomb or something.

I think a film-sim weekender that doesn't have any kit restrictions would tick a lot of people's boxes, all the ones I've seen have tended to be for WWII or Vietnam re-enactment style groups, what do you think? Ground Zero, Free Fire Zone and Brit-Tac have all been sites I've attended that have proved 1 long scenario with set, timed objectives can work really well, but I think falling down dead when you're hit could add that fun aspect to it to help draw people in. More than just your average skirmish, but similar in a lot of ways.

It'd just take a lot of organising, not be terribly easy to reach for a lot of people down south in this discussion, but if it gets jumped on an organised properly, then it could be worth travelling that distance.

Though, in fairness, I've probably just jumped the gun on this one and got way too excited thinking up fantasies that will in all likelihood, never actually happen =[

 

[SgtTalbert]

I'd definitely be up for this and help with whatever (should it go ahead)

 

[Mike636]

I'd be up for this, as long as it wasn't a hugely long drive

 

[Baz JJ]

Because Ive wandered a bit since I started this discussion on another topic and the idea has evolved somewhat, I would just like to clarify the progress.

Ive discounted running a bespoke event because there simply isn't enough initial interest to even start to make that viable.

Of course, there are companies already staging prearranged events, but some existing milsim events put me off a bit because they are either too large or too hardcore (for my taste anyway).

My plan now is to latch on to something already scheduled and which is organised by professionals.

The one I have my eye on is quite small - totally fifty people and runs periodically out in the country about an hours drive North of London.

At the moment Im trying to pin the organisers down to the next date and Im hoping I might have some news about this in the week. My feeling is that it will be held before Christmas.

Irrespective of whether we get members from AFUK going, I would still like to attend the next one to give it a try.

If people from the forum want to go, then great, the more the merrier.

When I have the information to paint a complete picture, I will pin up the details and interested members will be able to book directly.

 

[jcheeseright]

I think the plan of taking an AF-UK contingent along to an already happening event is the way forward. Airsoft International do one every year called the Ai500 which is very 'filmsim', teams are denoted by major colour worn (green team / tan team) so everyone's camo preferences can be accommodated, obviously if we took a couple of squads along we'd need to pick a team... green would make most sense as getting surplus DPM gear is so easy and cheap, as well as that the tan team is always oversubscribed by people who only own multicam!

Snag with the Ai500 this year is that it's in Kent and so a looooooong way from a lot of forum members.

Forming a loose 'team' and heading to someone else's event has other advantages too, in that there'd be far less organisation required and everyone involved would be able to play without fear of giving an advantage to their team if they know what's coming next because they wrote the scenario!

 

[Ian_Gere]

Sounds good. I can do all black, DPM or KLMK.

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

I've already had to write off Ai500 for this year because the NAE cost so much more than I anticipated.

I'm also one of those people who only owns Multicam...

 

[Ian_Gere]

Well camo aside, north of London is one thing, Kent is a whole other kettle of fish.

 

[Baz JJ]

The site Im talking to is running one today which is why they haven't set the date for the next one yet i.e. they want to deliver this game first.

The uniform code is:

ALPHA TEAM; CAMOUFLAGE Combat Uniform must be worn. Any official camouflage is fine, preferably matching long sleeve Jacket and Trouser.

DELTA TEAM; Dark or Light Coloured Military Clothing (no pattern) long sleeve Jacket and Trouser, preferably the same colour. No Jeans or Sportswear please.

For todays game, the squads are split as follows:

Teams will be split into 3 Squads:

ASSAULT - This is your Soldier Squad, front line troopers!

ENGINEER - These guys build and DEFEND your HQ at all times.

PIONEER - In charge of the Mortars and Detonation devices.

Apart from their encouragement of tripwire and booby trap devices, I like the fact that they also have a mortar and you can call in support by radio.

 

[SgtTalbert]

I kept meaning to post this

MAW will do private hire when at least 10 people sign up to it - http://www.modernairsoftshop.co.uk/our-site/private-game-days/

MAW is a very nice site

 

[Baz JJ]

Thanks.

 

[Ian_Gere]

Yeah, it's such a bummer that MAW only run Sunday games.

 

[SgtTalbert]

MAW wont just do Sunday, they also run Saturdays sometimes.

Private Hire will probably be done on a Saturday