SE Tour Review: Tower Airsoft (Essex)

[Asomodai]

Site Name: Tower Airsoft

Contact details: 07534636289

Website Address: Tower Airsoft – UK's Newest Airsoft Games Site | Billericay in Essex
Facebook Page: Tower Airsoft | Facebook

Site Address: S&J Action Sports LTD, Heath Road, Billlericay, CM11 1HL

 

Myself and @Albiscuit had actually popped along to Tower airsoft before on the first of the Tuesday evening mini games, but I decided to wait for a full game day before writing a review. Full game days are on Saturdays only at this moment in time. We attended 17/07/2021

 

Tower Airsoft was created from the ashes of another abandoned Delta Paintball site (See my Cobham review for another). The same people who run Airsoft Plantation decided to take it over and turn it into another site which is conveniently just around the corner from AP. 

 

Tower airsoft, whilst an ex Paintball site does not have the usual obvious "Game zones". There are distinct areas, but there are no obvious barriers between them. 

 

This is a small woodland site, no undulation, Lots of different types of cover such as man made earthworks, buildings, low, medium and high foliage depending on the area. Short to medium range engagement distance. 

 

Good:

 

Playing Area: A varied area. A section that has a large 2 story fort and Church both separated and surrounded by ferns and various bushes. A cut down area of forest, a section of road separating a tall copse of trees. A small area next to the safe zone with two opposing double decker buses set 25 metres apart with oil barrels in-between them which ensures fast paced and desperate play. Our favourite area is the Village and Bridge sections. The village is fantastic BECAUSE it is nice and overgrown, which adds much more to the game then if it was cleared out. No water features, completely flat. Nothing is overly special, but what is there is of good quality. 

 

Turn around time: The mini game we went to we felt that turnaround time was a little slow, but the full game day had a much faster turnaround, which exhausted a few people because of how hot it was! We felt the full game day is much better value for money then the evening game. 

 

Marshalling: It's organised by AP so as usual it is incredibly well staffed with knowledgeable, approachable and fair marshals. Exactly the same experience that you get with AP. 

 

Safe Zone: It's a fairly large area, everyone had a seat and most had cover from the hot sun. The safe zone is entirely self contained with the food truck, free water, setup areas, shop, toilets and game brief area all in the safe zone.

 

Toilets: Real toilets, inside a structure. Nuff said. 

 

Food: The same people who run the van at AP, so you know it's fairly decent stuff with a wide selection and very friendly people running it. A credit to AP and Tower. 

 

Clientele: Classic AP camaraderie. Though in a more intimate and smaller setting. There were some really good players out there on the day. It was hot so not a huge amount of interaction, but we certainly pushed each other on the blue side. 

 

Average: 

 

Value: Good value at £25 for the day though didn't come with any food included. For what we got, it was certainly reasonable!

For the evening game it is £20 and honestly, not worth the money for less then 3 hours of play. 

 

Safety Brief: Short and sweet. Covered most things, though sadly no bang pyro is allowed on site and gun hits and switch to secondary were not mentioned until brought up after the brief. 

 

Game Modes: The first game mode didn't quite work for me as there was some confusion with the game boundaries (Use of the Church upper floor) and the choice of using unlimited lives in one section, but just two lives on another section. The rest of the games were much simpler and worked better, considering its a hot day and people aren't quite used to Tower's newly opened sections as of yet. 

 

Car Park/Entrance: The usual mud/gravel track, there is some prime car parking along the road near the entrance to the safe zone, however if you arrive later you will need to park further away from the safe zone. Numbers were somewhat low due to the weather, but I do wonder how the car park would handle much more in the way of cars. 

 

Hit taking: Good for almost the entire day. However there was one particular player that I had an altercation with. They refused to take their hits despite seeing bb's pinging off them but then shooting back. I took the hit,  respawned and tried to hunt him down again. Hit him multiple times with a pistol from one side of the tree, he continued firing at someone else and ignoring being hit in the body. I kept firing at him to call it, he turned to me, shot me and then called hit. I refused to call the hit and he started shouting at me to take my hit and that it was a 50/50 situation. I explained that I shot him multiple times before he killed someone else and then me and refused to call it. He kept moaning and kept pointing at me to his mate during this time who promptly shot me and I took the hit. 

 

I went back to the safe zone for a few minutes to take myself out of the situation. It's a shame that one player decided they wanted to play juggernaut and spoil what was a good day (A little).

 

Shop: Not a huge amount on offer, the basics and some equipment, better then nothing. 

 

Bad: 

 

Chrono: The usual AP rules apply. Honesty based chrono, available to use, but not enforced, checked or tagged. At the evening game I and some other players were checked near the end of the evening. On the full game day I didn't see anyone get chronoed. It's disappointing, but it is what it is. 

 

350 AEGS, 450 DMRs, 500 Bolties.

 

Conclusion: 

 

An interesting site for AP to take on, it's much smaller then plantation, but has some areas that AP just does not have in terms of a couple of larger buildings. It's a very different site. I recommend this for people who want the AP management experience, but with smaller numbers, smaller games and less walking. The opposing double decker bus game is a real hoot and we enjoyed playing it on both the night and day games. 

So overall, very good! AP staff running it heightens what is/was just an average paintball site to something better. It's not unique, but it doesn't necessarily have to be to have a good day. 

 

Al and myself had a great time and we will certainly be back and into a regular rotation.

 

Bullpup Watch: SRS only. Almost everyone played with an M4...

 

Best Guess Map: 

 

Edited July 28, 2021 by Asomodai

[Albiscuit]

16 hours ago, Asomodai said:

 

 

Bullpup Watch: SRS only. Almost everyone played with an M4...

 

Apart from the “Vector boiiiis”