The 'How Did Your Airsoft Day Go? Thread

[SheriffHD]

2 hours ago, Terry_Rist said:

Every site will always have some bad players, it is how everyone else deals with it that can make or break the day for me. I had such a good time I will definitely be back again, it is about and an hour and a half drive for me but is definitely worth it. I will just have to watch my back for long range TAG rounds😁

 

Best thing I've had was myself and a guy on opposite team just launching tags back and forth like a twisted game of tennis to the horror of the poor rentals stood in the middle not sure where to run to. 

[Skullchewer]

19 hours ago, Terry_Rist said:

I was the twat wearing shorts and a leopard hat

 

I mean, how could you not shoot tags at this 😉

[Impulse]

Just got home from a great private game at UCAP tunnels in Portsmouth. I took my 1.1J spring VSR with me, much to basically everyone's confusion as the tunnels are very CQB, as well as the mp9 and the mk23, one on each hip, as the ammo weight limit was .28s at most and they are some of my guns that can use .28s and not overhop as I typically play woodland and build for .32s. We were encouraged to bring LARP weapons, as only LARP weapons could kill the juggernauts that would be coming out, plus it's a bit of silly fun swatting each other with foam hammers and the like, so I packed my rubber knife too.

 

Through the morning I made my presence very known and just held corridors. I would find a nice pitch black spot and just hold down the corridor in front of me, preventing the other team advancing down the tunnel I was watching. Was it the most practical gun? Hell no, but I was doing it as a partial joke as everyone knows me at Worthing Airsoft as a sniper and it did have it's uses; it wasn't entirely useless as some of those corridors are very long and having a gun built for range, accuracy and silence turned out to be quite the boon to our team. We were getting hammered in the morning, but I was at least holding down one of a potential 5 or so avenues of attack for them which was all I wanted to do and the best way for me to contribute. I don't really do CQB and I'm a 6'5 weight lifter; those tunnels are not built for me 😂

 

However, after lunch I had to change tactics. The other team had a juggernaut and constantly used him to push into our base to steal an objective we managed to recover nice and early, so I couldn't use the bolt action to hold corridors because the juggernaut was just coming down with a minigun and enemy players using him as cover. We held them off for a long time though, considering they were being escorted by a juggernaut and managed to hold onto the objective for an hour or so. I managed to learn by being a sneaky sniper eavesdropping from the shadows that only one person on their team could move the objective, so I started targeting her, waiting for the juggernaut to pass as I hid away and then ambushing the players who could be shot. The mk23 and mp9 really showed their worth, taking shots from concealment with the mk23, but pulling the mp9 as soon as I needed a bit of a snappier gun. Even managed to get a melee kill on the juggernaut (the only way to kill them), hiding in a dark room as he came down the corridor and quietly stabbing with the rubber knife as he walked past.

 

We managed to pull out a win at the end of the day when my friend decided to go out with only a melee weapon. He crept around the entire enemy team and cleared them out with melee kills, allowing the rest of our team to push up and detonate the bomb. In the meantime, another team made not one, but two raids on the enemy base and stole all their objectives. After receiving a bit of a hiding for most of the day, we managed to pull out a sizeable win in the final moments which was nice

 

My main gripe was the ammo limit, but otherwise the rules were great and made the game super fun. The ammo limit was 600 BBs per life, which in the tunnels basically just meant a lot of trigger spam down corridors; I probably would've done 300 (which was what we had at the last private game we played there) just so it wasn't quite so spammy. All in all I had a really good day, even though it was very much not my type of game. Helped that this time our respawn was the other side of the site to where my team spawned in the last private game we ran there, so I got to experience the other side. Just going to say, and any of the UCAP bunker regulars will know what I mean, but the toilet block is such a great place to ambush from! I was moving through there with the mk23 causing absolute havoc on the enemy team as they tried pushing into our base.

 

Next time, I'll bring something a little more practical. I'll bring my SR-25 or my m21 instead so I at least have semi-auto instead of a bolt action  

[JustMark]

Had an great day of getting shot at, thoroughly enjoyed charging around the woods today.   100% confident I got pewed more than I pewed anyone else but not gonna worry about that

 

Only slight issue was my glasses fogged up pretty badly and kinda ruined one game.  I might see about getting the shooting glasses style with the prescription inserts, does anyone have any help on that eye protection for glasses wearers front please?

[Colin Allen]

1 hour ago, JustMark said:

Had an great day of getting shot at, thoroughly enjoyed charging around the woods today.   100% confident I got pewed more than I pewed anyone else but not gonna worry about that

 

Only slight issue was my glasses fogged up pretty badly and kinda ruined one game.  I might see about getting the shooting glasses style with the prescription inserts, does anyone have any help on that eye protection for glasses wearers front please?

I strongly recommend Revision Sawfly glasses with their own prescription inserts.  I have used them for a few years now, along with either Cat Crap or Absolutely Clear anti fog, although the Revision wipes are good as well.  If you go for the Sawflys, use the MAX lenses to give your eyes extra flank protection.

They will stop a shotgun blast, so at least your eyes will survive as the rest of your head disintegrates!

[JVacation]

First time back to Rift Comms Site 3 since about a year. Day was overall okay. The site needs quite a bit of balancing ever since the HS2 has changed the site. They have always struggled placing one of the spawns. Its always one team gets to the middle of the site and takes control of the main buildings quicker as they don't have to run as far, whilst the others have to try and push up to them in areas with naff all cover. It's also further to go back to the respawn and no medic rule really makes people play more slow and less likely to try stuff. I also think the amount of snipers there is getting out of control. We counted about 20 snipers on each team but could easily be more and it just makes the gameplay much slower as the snipers just like to sit back and chill instead of helping with the push.

 

Few individuals were up to their cheating antics with blind firing and not calling their hits but overall wasn't "too" bad.

 

Overall I think Comms Site 3 is lacking something at the moment that it used to have. It seems to have lost a bit of its charm. Could be fixed pretty easily by balancing the spawn distances. I would also like to see somewhat of a cap on snipers but I understand that it is probably bad for the site income and regulars of the site.

[Impulse]

40 minutes ago, JVacation said:

I also think the amount of snipers there is getting out of control. We counted about 20 snipers on each team but could easily be more and it just makes the gameplay much slower as the snipers just like to sit back and chill instead of helping with the push.

 

This isn't just local to Rift. I see a horde of bolt actions at Worthing Airsoft too, even during the summer where the site is basically woodland CQB with how bushy it gets; I've specifically got multiple 1.1J BASR and semi-auto sniper builds for the summer months because a 30m MED makes about 80% of the site unplayable and I've been playing sniper for over a decade now because I love the satisfaction. Personally, I blame certain Youtube content creators for the massive influx...

 

I've also ended up being the front line before because not wanting to push isn't just for snipers and low-crawling forward might be slow, but at least it's moving in the right direction. Better late than never! 

Edited November 13, 2022 by Impulse

[JustMark]

1 hour ago, Colin Allen said:

I strongly recommend Revision Sawfly glasses with their own prescription inserts.  I have used them for a few years now, along with either Cat Crap or Absolutely Clear anti fog, although the Revision wipes are good as well.  If you go for the Sawflys, use the MAX lenses to give your eyes extra flank protection.

They will stop a shotgun blast, so at least your eyes will survive as the rest of your head disintegrates!

Cheers fella, I'll have a look into that!

[Impulse]

Oooooooooh I'm so happyyyyyyyy. The foliage has finally receded at Worthing Airsoft and the sight lines are back to being long. There's enough foliage for cover and concealment, but it's no longer the woodland CQB of the summer months. I didn't manage to play nearly as much as I wanted to because it's amazing what difference 5 degree celcius makes. The 1.1J m700 just wasn't having it today; if it's much higher than 1.1J, it sends .48s into the sky, but if it's too much lower it doesn't get enough traction to hop the BB effectively, and in today's 10 degree celcius temperatures it was around 0.7J, which wasn't enough. Spent the rest of the day tweaking the 2J m700 (which I was very very very happy with), but next weekend I'm bringing the HPA VSR back out as my mags for the m700 were absolutely freezing cold all day. With the sight lines opened up, it's time to bring out all the 2.3J builds!

 

Also, haven't used the mp7 in about 9 months and it still floats BBs out to 45m. It may be an AEP, it may only be about 0.6J, it may be totally stock, but TM hop up never disappoints! Having a full auto electric SMG in a holster as a secondary during the winter months is so useful.

[Skullchewer]

Bloody marvelous day at Red Alert Newbury.

K/D was very respectable, the right way round.

My first time out with the SSG-10 and I bloody love it.

 

Tired and happy.

Happy I use a cover on my Hawke!

[EvilMonkee]

Actually went to a skirmish for once at Free Fire Zone near Bourne, only 30 players but the small teams made it a fun day.  Rocked my MWS in the morning and got some ridiculous shots with it before switching to the new VFC FAL in the afternoon.  OMFG that thing is brilliant.  Absolute tack driver out to 60m+.  Consistently outranged every AEG on the field.  Who said you can't use gas guns in winter?

[Skullchewer]

10 minutes ago, EvilMonkee said:

Actually went to a skirmish for once at Free Fire Zone near Bourne, only 30 players but the small teams made it a fun day.  Rocked my MWS in the morning and got some ridiculous shots with it before switching to the new VFC FAL in the afternoon.  OMFG that thing is brilliant.  Absolute tack driver out to 60m+.  Consistently outranged every AEG on the field.  Who said you can't use gas guns in winter?

Dude, please, I'm asking nicely:

Shut the fuck up.

I don't want a VFC FAL 😭

I don't I don't I don't! 

Stop making me want one!

[EvilMonkee]

45 minutes ago, Skullchewer said:

Dude, please, I'm asking nicely:

Shut the fuck up.

I don't want a VFC FAL 😭

I don't I don't I don't! 

Stop making me want one!

LOL, well its ok, there are none available bar 2 left at JD Airsoft at £750 (though you do get a spare mag an NPAS pre fitted). I imported mine from HK, worth every penny. And certainly no mags to be found.....its fucking brilliant though.

[MrTea]

Another day at NTAC.

 

Complete opposite to the last visit despite the cold combined with drizzle/light rain. First time with new bucking, nub and barrel in my LVOA.

 

First game was attacking and defending a hill with trenches. We defended well but failed on the attack. Got a fair few kills and surprised by some of the longer ranged kills I managed to get however my BBs appear to be hooking right so I may need to double check the fitment of my nub in case it's sitting slightly uneven or off to one side. Might even try a Prometheus flat hop nub. Ate shit when I stepped back and fell into fucking trench, luckily only a marshall and one other saw my pride smash into smithereens.

 

Second game was 'capture the flags' with 7 flags in the CQB area. Had good fun throwing about pyro and some good kills on the attack and defence, especially getting shot to shit against one guy holed up in a tiny single entrance room that contained the last flag. The level of gameplay was one of the highest i've had minus one guy and another rental blind firing. The rental I can forgive however the other guy appeared to be a one off after I swore loudly enough for the marshall to turn his head. Other than a couple of kids generally playing like they were going to be hit real bullets, the day was great.

 

Only real negative about the day was that it ended at lunch due to players leaving. The couple of rentals left (can only assume they were half day) and the a lot of others left too. Again, assuming they had stuff they needed to do being the time of year. It left around 10 players. We decided to bail as 5v5 wasn't going to be our thing.

 

On a somewhat related note; the site have since posted an update saying they'll no longer accept bookings without payment due to 10+ players not confirming for the next (or both) day(s) and confirmed player numbers were so low, it'd be pointless and they had to cancel. They're now talking about going back to one weekend per month during the winter which I totally understand but it is a shame. They did however talk about using some weekends to rebuild some areas for lower player number days which would be great because it's definately the type of game I prefer. I just wish they'd have some areas that are more than ground floor and build another storey to their CQB area but that requires a lot more work.

Edited November 20, 2022 by MrTea

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

12 minutes ago, MrTea said:

On a somewhat related note; the site have since posted an update saying they'll no longer accept bookings without payment due to 10+ players not confirming for the next (or both) day(s) and confirmed player numbers were so low, it'd be pointless and they had to cancel. They're now talking about going back to one weekend per month during the winter which I totally understand but it is a shame. They did however talk about using some weekends to rebuild some areas for lower player number days which would be great because it's definately the type of game I prefer. I just wish they'd have some areas that are more than ground floor and build another storey to their CQB area but that requires a lot more work.

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.

[Impulse]

5 minutes ago, Tactical Pith Helmet said:

There does seem to be a drop in player numbers noted in  few posts of late.

 

We only had 30 players today max. Very low numbers at the moment!

[MrTea]

12 minutes ago, 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.

 

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.

Edited November 20, 2022 by MrTea

[Rogerborg]

9 hours ago, MrTea said:

I'd go out on a limb and suggest the cold rainy weather is the issue despite skin being waterproof

 

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.

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

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.  

[concretesnail]

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.

[Impulse]

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.

[EvilMonkee]

24 minutes ago, Impulse said:

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.

Or travel to games.

[Emergencychimps]

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. 

[Skullchewer]

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

So my regular site isn't showing signs yet.

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

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.