Milsim - Op Clean Sweep

[Baz JJ]

Did the Okto Eight Milsim Op Clean Sweep at the weekend.

 

Man, it was cold and muddy.

 

I've heard hardcore milsimmers preach about the games like the CAG ones where they trek 7Km in full kit across Otterburn in blizzards and attack an objective.

The Okto one is supposed to be a softer option with the fighting ending at 1700 each day so people can socialise, eat, get warm etc.

 

However, this weekend made me realise the real difference between skirmish players and milsimmers who just happen to use airsoft weapons.

 

The weather hovered around zero all weekend, we had deep mud and it snowed every day.

Players were camping, many from Friday to Sunday evening.

 

Now the Okto game is not aimed at Seal Team 6 wannabes. Instead, its a personally challenging game where people choose to be in teams to overcome tactical objectives whilst fighting with airsoft weapons, against a continuing and evolving dynamic movie-style storyline.

 

What I saw was a polarisation where skirmishers who were used to day games struggled with suitable kit to combat the weather, struggled with comprehending rules, didnt make any preparation and got all antsy when things went against them, leaving before the game was finished on Sunday and letting their team mates struggle against a better prepared force.

 

On the other hand, the superior force, who ironically werent special forces wannabes in gucci kit as is often portrayed in milsim circles, were prepared for the weather, were organised in sub-units with slick drills and absorbed the intel, using it to their advantage.

 

They really did demonstrate what you can do with teamwork and good effective communication and their OPFOR had their arses handed to them on the Sunday.

 

There was an APC which was defending the Titanium Mine. The opposing team were trying to kill the APC by throwing grenades through one of its open gun ports, but the crew inside werent dying. I was acting as impartial observer and they complained to me. I asked them to try it again. The guy dodged the machine gun fire to get up alongside the APC in its blind zone and threw another grenade. I couldnt believe what I saw. The lad inside who I felt had more of a skirmishing attitude, jumped out of the rear hatch when the grenade came in, waited outside at the back for it to explode, then jumped back in to live another day and carry on. He really couldnt see my point when I explained that apart from being unfair, this was a highly improbable action had it been a real APC. Im sure its possible in one of the video games he plays..

 

I hasten to add that the game only accepts players 18 or over, so he wasnt a child.

 

Luckily, this is a minority occurence.

 

Despite that, it was a really good weekend and everybody seemed to leave having learned a lot of stuff about themselves. It might be that milsim isnt for them, but I suspect even the ones that excelled were questioning some of their kit choices. 

[TheFull9]

One of these days I'll get myself in gear and write some stuff down to explain the importance of layering for cold, wet and wind, because even when I was issued a full set of all the layers of CS95 when I joined up I still didn't really understand it once I was out of training (and froze my then-skinny butt off one day in the woods near aberdeen in January) , so it's not surprising airsofters often don't get the hang of it.

 

Modern 'gucci' kit has pretty much all been built for afghan and iraq and other deserts, it's highly optimised for moving fast but Crye NYCO uniforms suck balls in inclement weather, that's why PCS has so many layers now, the yanks have all their ECWCS layers and their SOF have the PCU system.  It's the soft shells and rain jackets and inner/outer thermals that airsofters are reluctant to invest in.  At the milsims I've been to, I've been the only guy wearing full softshell, even though they've always been in the winter and it's been cold and rainy and muddy and all around awful weather for cotton blend uniforms.

[Baz JJ]

Again, my experience is a lot of players who mainly skirmish get obsessed about their guns, hops, barrel upgrades etc. Milsimmers tend to see their rifle as just one bit of their kit and are just as obsessive about clothing, comms kit, etc. 

 

Not to look like a wannabe but to be able to play in the environment they are being put in, carry whatever kit they need with minimal weight and be able to reach what they need when they need it.

 

Milsims and skirmishes are opposite poles connected by airsoft weapons.

[clumpyedge]

Baz, That sounds a far cry from the one I attended a couple of years back at the site opposite red1. Shame as I've been thinking about doing another Okto8 but in all honesty I'm getting rather disheartened by airsoft in general these days.

[TheFull9]

11 hours ago, Baz JJ said:

Again, my experience is a lot of players who mainly skirmish get obsessed about their guns, hops, barrel upgrades etc. Milsimmers tend to see their rifle as just one bit of their kit and are just as obsessive about clothing, comms kit, etc. 

 

Not what I've generally seen to be honest, but then obviously everyone plays different places and sees different things.  Varies a lot from person to person of course.

[Baz JJ]

Quote

yeah its a huge generalisation but the point I was trying to make is that clothing, comms kit etc is a lot more important to a milsimmer because they are going to rely on that kit for a couple of days and you cant go back tomthe safe zone when a battery fails or your boots leak.