501st Airsoft, Tunbridge Wells

[Colin Allen]

I think I already know the answer to this question, but has anyone played at 501st Airsoft, which is a new site near Tunbridge Wells?

[Jez_Armstrong]

😃😂

Edited October 14 by Jez_Armstrong

[The_Lord_Poncho]

Oh, good spot - 30 minutes away from me according to google, I might be tempted, if only for a bit of variety. Web presence seems extremely limited however! Looking at the booking page, it appears that it is full day bookings only and that spaces are limited to 50 (which might provide a clue as to the size of the playing area).

[Colin Allen]

1 hour ago, Jez_Armstrong said:

Nope, but mostly because it's a stones throw from my house and I'm a regular at battle lakes so a new site that arrived on our door step that opens the same weekends the lakes does was a shitty move 😂

 

But then looking at the photos on Facebook, it looks like bare woodland with a few pallets thrown about the place, nothing exciting at all

Given that BL is one weekend per month and that the dates only sometimes overlap, that does not seem to be a huge issue.

The photos of the site are somewhat underwhelming, which is why I was asking if anyone had actually played there.

1 hour ago, The_Lord_Poncho said:

Oh, good spot - 30 minutes away from me according to google, I might be tempted, if only for a bit of variety. Web presence seems extremely limited however! Looking at the booking page, it appears that it is full day bookings only and that spaces are limited to 50 (which might provide a clue as to the size of the playing area).

Indeed; the photos on FB are somewhat uninspiring and, based on them, numbers appear low.  I might wander down there to try it out at some point.

[The_Lord_Poncho]

49 minutes ago, Colin Allen said:

Indeed; the photos on FB are somewhat uninspiring and, based on them, numbers appear low.  I might wander down there to try it out at some point.

Please report back if you do!

[Colin Allen]

2 hours ago, The_Lord_Poncho said:

Please report back if you do!

I will indeed.

[Lozart]

Be interesting to see if the bucketheads are aware of this place.

[Colin Allen]

2 hours ago, Lozart said:

Be interesting to see if the bucketheads are aware of this place.

Bucketheads?

[Lozart]

39 minutes ago, Colin Allen said:

Bucketheads?

 

The 501st Legion. Stormtrooper cosplayers that are about as close to being "official" as cosplayers get. Total stitch counting anoraks that run the group like some kind of paramilitary!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501st_Legion

[Colin Allen]

1 hour ago, Lozart said:

 

The 501st Legion. Stormtrooper cosplayers that are about as close to being "official" as cosplayers get. Total stitch counting anoraks that run the group like some kind of paramilitary!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501st_Legion

Ah!  I assumed that it was a nod towards the 501st PIR.

[rj1986]

4 hours ago, Lozart said:

 

The 501st Legion. Stormtrooper cosplayers that are about as close to being "official" as cosplayers get. Total stitch counting anoraks that run the group like some kind of paramilitary!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501st_Legion

Wow... what a bunch of nerds.

 

Now if you excuse me, i have to research what sling is now the Gucci thing and spend $400 on it.

[Jaylordofwaargh]

That is nothing, the 501st will let almost anyone in. The mando mercs costume club however, check this out https://mandalorianmercs.org/costume-requirements/

 

 

[JimFromHorsham]

1 hour ago, Jaylordofwaargh said:

That is nothing, the 501st will let almost anyone in. The mando mercs costume club however, check this out https://mandalorianmercs.org/costume-requirements/

 

 

my application is in ! 
 

[HTJP1992]

I’ve played at 501st quite a few times the management are amazing and I turn too him for advice all the time it’s a great field with lots of potential but it’s up and coming so could do with some support from the community not the negativity 

501st made me fall in love with the sport and will always be home territory 

[Platoon Leader]

This is a fledgling field and being run on a shoestring budget.  Connor is a good lad and could really do with some community support. This is old school "pee up a tree" airsoft. He doesn't have a burger van, covered safe zone, electricity etc, but he is just starting out and I'm sure those things will come.

He's  committed to giving you a good time and does cook a good lunch.

It on every two weeks - next game 15/9/2024

Show it some love and go and give it a go.

[501st Airsoft]

On 05/06/2024 at 18:29, The_Lord_Poncho said:

Oh, good spot - 30 minutes away from me according to google, I might be tempted, if only for a bit of variety. Web presence seems extremely limited however! Looking at the booking page, it appears that it is full day bookings only and that spaces are limited to 50 (which might provide a clue as to the size of the playing area).

501st is a 10 acre site with mixed terrain for a more interesting and unique experience. You can find us on our social media pages (Facebook, Instagram and TikTok  where we post daily content ). We’ve only been open for 5 months now and have built up from raw, untouched woodland. We have hosted larger games with the Medway Mercenaries and VJ’s Daredevils. If you have any queries in regards to the site, feel free to get in touch via social media or the 501st WhatsApp Community! 🫡

[Colin Allen]

I will not be going there.

[hunter511]

11 hours ago, Colin Allen said:

I will not be going there.

Don't sit on that fence mate..... you'll get splinters.

 

That said I will admit to a certain curiosity as to whats inspired such a depth of feeling.

[LMKipper]

Same! Spill the tea 😅

[Colin Allen]

1 hour ago, hunter511 said:

Don't sit on that fence mate..... you'll get splinters.

 

That said I will admit to a certain curiosity as to whats inspired such a depth of feeling.

Information received, which it is not up to me to divulge.

[LMKipper]

Fair enough @Colin Allen the only question I wouldn't mind knowing, as I did fancy popping along, is whether this is a safety issue and as such I should avoid it.

Happy for this to be via PM rather than on an open forum if you would prefer.

[Tackle]

To be fair to everyone here, if its a safety issue, shite gameplay, or even a massive amount of nepotism, all of which are common occurrences, then surely it's in the public interest to know, any one of us could blow the green fees, as well as a considerable amount on fuel & much valued time travelling to a site just to be thoroughly disappointed, & then times that by maybe 30+ players who make the same mistake ?.

Unless it's something really horrific, not even gonna mention the possibilities ?, then most info is a fair game.

Also it should be considered that sites aren't always aware of failings unless players speak up, they can't fix what they don't know about ?.

IMHO 🤔

[hunter511]

I'm putting £10 on "Licking Mustard seleected as site ambassador and representative."

[Colin Allen]

The chap has now posted a review:

 

“Now after Messaging 501st this very review and got nothing back except a thumbs up I have decided to offer this up as an experience of our day there.

We went to your site on 29/09/2024
Firstly trying to find the place was a nightmare we drove past what was a carpark twice and just happened to take the chance and stop in there, then found a wet piece of paper that said 501st this way. After walking aimlessly through some undergrowth I stumbled across someone who said where the 'safe zone' was.
On getting there I met a friend who was just walking away as someone threw a Mk5 in said safe zone. When he said something he was told to shut up then chants of fight, fight, with a marshal giggling about it.
Anyway we set up in the safe zone, if that’s what you could call it as people were walking around with loaded mags in their guns, to this end my wife refused to remove her eye pro at all, my 15 year old son was very dubious to do it so removed his dye but replaced them with some eye pro whilst in the safe zone.
Now I had to ask twice to be chronoed, which was lack luster at best. My GBB coming in a bit hot on 0.32s, showing 286FPS said I'd adjust it but was told it was OK!
Now the brief was quite good so kudos there.
Now the first game, we were blues attacking. The reds just would not take their hits. I told one marshal (wearing a full-face mask), who seemed to care more about being on his phone that actually even responding to me. So, I spoke to another marshal (guy who gave the brief) that at least acknowledged what I had said. But it didn’t change anything. I repeatedly saw players taking easily 20 to 30 shots before they even bothered to call hits. Plus, the field layout was ridiculous. No cover whatsoever at our end trying to assault a cover laden side, no one could advance.
We did speak to another marshal about lack of marshals (young guy with a lightsaber) he said it would be better with less players, really there were only about 20 there! I have been a marshal and run game days with 130 players with 5 marshal no problems.
Anyway, it got so bad that I just gave up and went back to the safe zone during the first game. My wife went out at least and tried the 2nd game with was basically the first just with a different name, but she came back soon enough, we packed up and decided to go. I have to say it is without a doubt the worst day or game of airsoft I have played. Even at £45 for the 3 of us it wasn’t worth it, 3 hour round trip and tunnel fees without the cost of diesel thrown it, what a waste.
Including my wife, son and myself I had arranged for 8 of us to come for the day, and quite frankly I was left embarrassed that I had got some of our airsoft group to try the site out due to what I have mentioned. 2 never even stayed after the grenade incident the others left the same time we did; it was that bad.
There needs to be some drastic improvements to both organisation and more importantly safety as there will soon be a bad injury. I as a player and more importantly as a parent will not be coming back and cannot recommend this site at all in its current state.

I only gave one star as I couldn't give any lower.”

[Joe Caliandro]

@Colin Allen please do not base the site off of that review. I was there on that exact game day and have receipts to prove. Some people had struggled to understand the idea of it being a new site on a budget with ongoing development. Moreover, the frequent vandalism to the site had resulted in the safe zone being trashed the night before the game day. It was explained to me that the site had been vandalised before and the Marshalls were on site the day before game day to build up the play area. However, on their arrival at 5 o’clock that Sunday morning, they had realised the safe zone had been vandalised again and rushed to fix what they could before people started to arrive on site. I don’t actually know where that review got the loaded mags in guns story from as to my recollection nobody had magazines in their guns at any point in the day. The chrono station was set up and run well and I went through it no issue at all. The main issue of that review was the thunderflash remark. I was a witness to the thunderflash going off having being metres from it when it was safely thrown away from the netting out into the play area before going off. Upon my second visit to this site yesterday, the Chrono station and panneling to wall off the chrome to prevent accidents has been heavily developed upon. Overall it’s a great site that takes people on a journey of an attack/ defence style of airsoft with strategy developing throughout gameplay, instead of the run and gun that is seen most days.

Edited October 14 by Joe Caliandro