Shield Airsoft 6 Stage Accuracy Run - Krytac LMG Release Upload



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To Catch A Spider: Frontier Airsoft, Penkridge, Staffordshire.

On the Easter Bank Holiday weekend I had the pleasure of being invited to Frontier Airsoft in Penkridge, Staffordshire – an hour away from my home town to play their Easter Special game ‘To Catch a Spider’ by a member of the UKAC (United Kingdom Airsoft Community). The site is around 10 minutes outside of Cannock and is easily accessible from the A513 or the M6 Toll. I took the A516 and the site was easy to get to, unfortunately Frontier isn’t signposted so I ended up at the Farm across the road! However, I have spoken to Bill, the owner and he has assured me that this is just temporary and the signs will be going back up soon! A quick google led me back up the track and onto the other side of the road, a short drive down another track and I was there! There is ample car parking that is directed by a site marshal and as the site is popular I do recommend arriving as close to 08.30 hours as possible, so you get a good space.
A short walk from the car park leads to the safe zone, which is a circular clearing surrounded by sheltered booths and each booth was separated by material and they were equipped with a table and chairs, they also had their own theme. I really liked that all the booths were separated as it provided every team with their own ‘base’.
Booking in was incredibly easy and done via the Frontier website and payment was taken on the day – one of the things I really liked about the site management is that the communication was fantastic and my emails were answered promptly! Nothing was too much trouble. There is tea and coffee on tap and the walk on fee of £25 was reasonable and even included lunch! As it was one of the guys birthday and we informed them, he was given a lovely personalised Frontier T-Shirt, a great touch and really made him feel welcome to the site. The safe zone is also home to the office where booking in takes place and it also has a little shop where you can buy Frontier’s own brand of BBs in various weights, pyros and patches. I purchased the 0.2g BBs, priced at 2000 for £5 which was very reasonable and they fed well. Next time I would however buy the 0.25g BBs because it was quite windy when I visited and the wind did take the rounds.
 Chrono was done on the purpose built range which had lots of interesting statues and targets! Including a poor fellow who had his crotch shot out (Ouch!) The staff are very strict on the guns they allow to be used on site, 350 FPS on 0.2g BBs and no more! The comprehensive safety briefs were carried out by the owner Bill and Head Marshal Jester and were simple and straight to the point – the last thing you want is overly complicated briefs that end up confusing the players! One thing that I feel really makes or breaks a site is the site staff! I cannot fault the staff at Frontier, they were professional, friendly and made everyone feel really welcome. The day was full of banter and the marshals routinely checked that everyone was having a good day.
The only thing that I will say about the safe zone that concerned me was players dry firing in the booths – as a community we need to look after each other and even though you may be certain your gun is clear, it only takes one stray BB to cause some damage. However, I spoke to one of the marshals during a quick break in the games and it didn’t happen for the rest of the day.
The site itself is a 25 acre woodland site that is shared between Frontier and a paintball company, it is one of the smaller woodland sites that I have visited but don’t let the size put you off, it can comfortably accommodate 60-70 players and the Frontier staff utilise every square inch of the site, and have built multiple structures and ‘zones’ which offer different types of game play. Including the Fort and Team Death Match areas which are both used for attack and defend games. They offer both long distance engagements so you can play as a Sniper and a CQB element as you fight your way into the heart of the enemies defence. The site is full of different levels – high ridges that look out over the forest floor and the bowl at the heart of the site which keeps the games interesting and the players on edge!
Frontier Airsoft is a site that specialises in story arch games so if you get bored of the usual team death match or capture the flag, this site is definitely for you! All the games except the warm up death match were story based objective games. For the Easter Sunday special we played the story ‘To Catch a Spider’. The theme for the day was that two rival teams of poachers had gone to Zootopia Park to capture an arachnid creature that the parks resident evil scientist had created and whilst they were there, decided to eliminate the opposing team! What I really like about theme based games is that each one is different, it’s not a generic Team Death Match and shows that a lot of thought and effort has gone into making the day the best it can be. I love the characters and the costumes of theme based games as well! The costume Frontier Airsoft’s staff have lovingly handcrafted for their Spider based storyline is really something to admire! I didn’t quite believe the photo I saw before the game but you have to see it to believe it. Each game is played on a different part of the site to keep things fresh and I have to say my favourite games of the day were the last two of the day – a 3 stage defend/attack game in various parts of the site including the team deathmatch zone, which got my adrenaline pumping so much that my hands were shaking as I reloaded my mags in the safe zone!
And the ‘To Catch a Spider’ game – for that game we had to throw down a smoke grenade ‘pheromone’ (we were allocated 2 per team!) to attract the arachnid creature and when he knelt down we were to capture him with the ‘Spider Catcher’ prop. After 10 minutes of searching the forest and engaging the enemy team, we spotted the Arachnid and one of the guys threw the smoke and started laying down suppressing fire to cover me whilst I went to capture the creature! Once the creature was on its knees, I rushed over and put the catcher on his wrist and led him up the ridge into the ‘town hall’ whilst my team mates made it rain BBs. Only one word can describe that game – EPIC!
One thing about a site that really affects how you feel when you leave at the end of the day is the level of sportsmanship from the other players. Frontier caters for all ages and abilities so you will see a very diverse mix of new and seasoned players which made for interesting game play. I personally, didn’t encounter any incidences of non-hit taking but I did hear a few grumbles whilst walking back to the safe zone, but the important thing to remember about woodland is because of the distances involved and wind taking rounds, it can be difficult to gauge whether you actually hit them or not, if in doubt always speak to a marshal.
The site is owned and founded by Bill Newman, an experienced airsofter who has been in the industry for almost a decade, I asked him a few questions to get to know him and Frontier a little better:
Kelly - Thank you for letting me do a review on Frontier, can you tell our readers a bit more about you? What’s your Airsoft background? Bill - I started playing Airsoft about 8 or 9 years ago at a small local site near Coventry. After 2 years, I started working at another, much larger Airsoft site as a marshal for another 2 years. There I received lots of good training and insight into the business under the manager. Then in 2011, I left to start my own Airsoft company and Frontier was born. Kelly - What originally got you into Airsoft? And what do you love about it?
 Bill - What I love about Airsoft, first and foremost is getting to play with guns, as a kid we would stage mock battles and scenarios with toy guns in the local woods and I guess I never stopped wanting to do that. The other thing that makes it so awesome is the community and friendships, I have literally made some lifelong friends because of Airsoft. Kelly – What is your playing style?
 Bill - Never give up! Someone has to be the first in! But always remember never to ask someone else to do what you wouldn’t.
 Kelly - What is your weapon of choice? Bill - I mainly run big chrome Revolvers and 1911’s, but I’ve had many weird and wonderful guns over the years!
 Kelly - What loadout do you normally run?
 Bill - A cowboy hat, western holster and a smile are the only consistent things you’ll see me in.
 Kelly - Tell us more about Frontier! Bill – The site has been running since 05-06-2011, but the company was running for about 6 month prior to opening  - all the marshals I would consider to be close friends and I feel that translates into how we work as a team together, I’d never be able to have made frontier what it is without them.
 Behind the curtains there are also the unseen elves, friends and family who tirelessly spell check the game stories I write, run and control the website, build amazing props that have to be seen to be believed, edit the hundreds of photos taken on a game day down to a select album, do the accounts and generally make the gears and workings run correctly and professionally. Without all of the above, there would be no Frontier Airsoft. We have a different story every week that’s all linked into one universe, all our games effect each other and tie in characters and plots.
 Overall, I would recommend Frontier Airsoft to new and experienced players alike as I had a fantastic day – the staff were welcoming and professional, ran a great game day and used their site well. The other players were friendly and made good opponents (ahem, targets). The walk on fee is a little cheaper than some of the other skirmish sites that I have visited and as lunch was included this was a nice surprise and excellent value for money. The story elements and costumes in their games mean that this isn’t like every other skirmish – expect something special! All the games kept us entertained and wanting more! At the end of the day each player received a ‘Frontier Airsoft Easter Special’ dog tag to remember the day - a great touch. Thank you to Gaz Ward, the onsite photographer for the photos!
Games are run every Sunday and for more information you can find Frontier Airsoft on Facebook as ‘Frontier Airsoft’, on Instagram as @frontierairsoft and also at their website www.frontierairsoft.co.uk where they post all the details for their upcoming games, booking and game photos! The site is located at Lower Drayton Farm, Penkridge, Staffordshire, ST19 5RE and is owned by William ‘Bill’ Newman, contactable on 07590255914.

K.Hardwick. (2015). To Catch A Spider. Airsoft Action. July (50), 20-22.

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INSTA Q&A

So a few days ago, I asked you lovely lot if there were any questions you wanted to know the answers to, and here they are:

@spectre307 asked: If you could travel to any country other than your native country to play Airsoft, where would you go?

If I could go to any country in the world to play Airsoft it would definitely be the U.S - I see so much great content from Airsofters over the pond that it makes me wanna try out the U.S fields and Milsims for myself! It would also be great to see how different Airsoft is outside of the U.K :)

@hideadpool asked: You ever gonna come play Airsoft in Hawaii?

I haven't any plans to play Airsoft in Hawaii as of yet but there's always time!



@jayfitzyy asked: Do you pronounce tongue as 'tong' or 'tung'? <3

Being from the Midlands, it's definitely 'tong' haha

@kazzraa asked: If you had to choose one stock Airsoft rifle to use for a whole year, which make and model would you pick and why?

If I had to choose one stock Airsoft rifle to use for a whole year, I would probably say my new Krytac Arms PDW - she's full metal, the internals are sound and so far I'm really impressed with her! My first impressions are great!

@phantom_airsoft asked: What is your favourite type of Airsoft gun?

My favourite type of Airsoft gun is the M4 rifle - for the simple fact is, I think they look good, there is plenty of options to customise it and really make it your own! And of course you can upgrade them to be more than that - such as a DMR, hell you could even shove a box mag on it and increase the rate of fire and you have a support gun. They have loads of potential.

@rennle asked: Milsim or regular skirmish...And why?

I do love a good skirmish but since attending a couple of Milsim events I'm definitely a Milsim convert! I love the aspects of a Milsim you don't get to experience in skirmishes such as the storyline behind it and all the roleplay/intelligence and props used, using all sorts of pyro including flares, the camping aspect is pretty cool and in general the level of play is a lot higher. I'm really looking forward to my next Milsims in the U.K and the U.S :D

@jaygsds asked: The age old question in skirmish,,,attack or defend?

Although I'm a fan of attack and will get stuck in, my strengths lie in aggressive defence and because of that I'd definitely choose defence over attack.

@_ryanknox_ asked: What is your favourite Airsoft gun?

My favourite Airsoft gun is my old faithful G&G Armament GR4 G26 Black Rose AEG with Pneumatic Blowback, I've ran this gun for almost a year and I love her. She's been a reliable primary and now she's had some TLC with the team at JD Airsoft she's good as new!

@bkn_96 asked: What got you into Airsoft?

What originally got me into Airsoft was an ex boyfriend. My first ever Airsoft game was in 2011 for one of my best girl mates birthdays and I borrowed all of his kit - which was bulky and did not fit me at all! I enjoyed the day but being a newb in my boyfriends poorly fitting gear put me off. I played again in August of 2014 for the same boyfriends private birthday skirmish and had a fab time. He brought me my first gun - the G&G Armament FF26 AEG. The relationship didn't work out but I'm glad he introduced me to this amazing sport.

@alpine_furry asked: What is your worst Airsoft related injury?

My worst Airsoft related injury was when I did a powerslide to cover at one of my favourite sites, I slid and hit a piece of cover - my trousers became twisted in the slide and my knee hit the cover without the protection of my built in knee pad. During the slide I cut my leg on something and ended up with a very painful purple knee and a bloody leg! I'd say though, that this is almost joint with the time my lower face mask fell down and I got shot in the cheek, that definitely made my eyes water!

@cam_airsoft_98 asked: Dream Airsoft build?

My dream Airsoft build would definitely be, some sort of hot pink light machine gun. I've never really thought about it in great detail but I think a hot pink LMG would be awesome haha

@devg_ asked: Can you put together a starter Airsoft kit?

If you mean the absolute minimum to play, I would say all you really need are your own eye and face protection as site face pro can smell from a combination of people breathing onto it all day, a good pair of boots that support the ankle and the enthusiasm to go out and have a great day as you can rent vests and guns from most sites. You don't need all the gear to play and an awesome time!

@oskarengstromen asked: If you could team up with any Airsoft crew, which crew would it be? Or if you could build an Airsoft crew from scratch, which players would you recruit?

If I could team up with any Airsoft crew it would be my Women of Airsoft battle sisters in the U.S! I'm really looking forward to tearing up the field with them next year! :D

@milsimmanuk asked: Now that Airsoft is becoming more and more popular, where do you see yourself in 5 years time in the sport? Are you still going to be writing for a magazine and continuing your blog or what else is on your horizon?

In 5 years time I would like to be working full time in the Airsoft industry - as what? I'm not sure but I definitely still want to continue Femme Fatale Airsoft and writing for Airsoft Action as I'm hugely passionate about them! I want to continue being an ambassador for Gender Equality in sport as well :)

Thank you for your questions everyone! xo

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Player Spotlight: Adam Fletcher/FLeZAirsoft


Hey everyone! So I haven't done a player spotlight in a while and I've chosen a MilSimmer that I've had the pleasure to play alongside at skirmishes and who was my 1ic at my first 34 hour Op - Operation Sledgehammer ran by Warzone Battle Simulation at Sennybridge FIBUA village in Wales. Introducing FLeZ:

So who is FLeZ?

Hey I am Adam or FLeZ.  I am an Airsofter from Liverpool in the UK. I am the content creator behind the YouTube channel - FLeZAirsoft which I have been running since the first day I started playing. I am predominantly a MilSim player, so expect to see a lot of that on the channel. In my day to day life I am a HGV driver and that’s how I fund my Airsoft addiction.

How long have you been in the sport?

I have been playing Airoft for just under 1 year. Which surprises people due to the amount of MilSims/sites that I have played, My first ever games have been posted onto to my YouTube channel.

 What originally got you into Airsoft and what do you love about it?

I got into Airsoft by seeing a picture on my mates Facebook account from a Stirling Airsoft event, it was him on a .50 cal on the back of a WMIK. I remember just thinking "WOW", I got hooked straight away and wanted a piece of that. I must of asked him about a million questions, it's funny because I used to argue all the time about how Paintball was better to him - SORRY GABZ, I WAS WRONG! That’s where my love for Airsoft lies, MILSIM!!!

Where is your home site?

My home site is SWAT Fortress in Liverpool.

What are the most memorable sites you’ve played?

All my MilSim games have been at awesome sites, every one of them has had something different. The MOD sites like Stanta/Copehill/Sennybridge have all provided great experiences for me, but the most memorable has to be UCAP Sandpit for Stirling Airsoft Op Grandstand - that’s where I got a full insight to what MilSim could provide. What an awesome weekend that was!

What's your playing style?

My playing style is a more tactical approach, I like to assess situations before moving to positions or taking ground. I like to know my surroundings and where I can place myself or my squad for maximum effect. I tend to sit back and be aggressive when I need to be. I love being upfront in the fight and clearing buildings and taking control of areas on the field.

What is your weapon of choice?

My weapons vary depending on the loadout or event I am at. Currently I'm running a 416
but I am in the process of a NEW build which you can follow on my channel - KRYTAC! If I'm playing OPFOR, it’s a good old AK - probably my favourite rifle I own.

 And what load out do you normally run?

Loadout all depends on where I'm playing or what situation I can find myself in on the ground. If I'm at a skirmish I try and run what I would for a MilSim but a bit lighter, just so my body can get used to running the gear and I can switch pouches or kit out if they are not vital. My loadout is constantly changing, I do have a problem with buying gear I must admit! I have posted a few loadout videos on my YouTube channel if you would like a more indepth look at some of the gear I run. I love putting them together and sharing them to see what people think.

Is there anything you would like to say to other players out there?

If I could say anything to other players, it would be to ENJOY IT ! It’s the player that makes Airsoft what it is! If you’re more experienced, help the younger/newer players out. Remember EVERYONE has been there!

Where can my followers find you on social media?

I'm on nearly all Social Media! YouTube is where I am mainly, I do try to reply to as many comments as I can. You can reach me on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram. Also if you want, feel free to message me - I'll always try get back to you!








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Shield Range Day/LMG Release Teaser


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Femme Fatale Airsoft is 1!

Today marks a year since Femme Fatale Airsoft went live! And apart from celebrating the blogs birthday and success, it marks a day that is special to me, personally. 

Many of you know the story behind FFA, for those of you who don't - this time last year I was involved in a car accident and was made redundant from my job as a Fashion Buyer/Merchandiser, now at the time I was absolutely gutted, for years I had dreamt about and trained for my career in the Fashion Industry and it was gone. I set up the blog to pour my time and energy into whilst I picked myself up and it turned out to be the best decision I have ever made. 

Becoming a Blogger has lead to the most amazing year of my life so far. From the people I have met, the places I've traveled to and the amazing experiences I've been lucky enough to be apart of, make me feel so blessed. Airsoft and the blog has opened up so many doors for me which I will always be grateful for. Looking back on the last year I can see not only a change in my lifestyle but a change in myself, I am a much more confident person with a new found purpose, determination and drive. I have pushed myself to my physical and mental limits during events to become a stronger, more resilient, tougher individual. 

Now for the facts, FFA has skyrocketed in its first year which I never in a million years imagined and it's all thanks to you: my lovely readers and followers. We are just shy of 25,000 website views which for a the first blog of its kind is amazing - FFA has become the most popular Female Airsoft Blog :D My Instagram account is just shy of 8,000 followers, making it the most popular outside of the United States which is awesome and I couldn't of done it without your support! :) I have become heavily involved in the International Airsoft Scene by becoming an Admin to the United Kingdom Airsoft Community and the European representative for Women of Airsoft. The blogs success has also lead to me becoming the only female contributor to a UK Airsoft publication - Airsoft Action. These achievements are all massive steps for women in our sport, especially in the UK Airsoft Industry as it means the industry is moving forward with us! I plan on pushing forward with this, continuing to make a positive contribution to the industry, creating more great content for you all and continuing to support and encourage women who want to get involved in the sport!

One of my favourite parts of FFA is meeting and chatting to my followers at events and games (and obviously, taking those cheeky selfies haha!) It is always a pleasure to chat with you, find out more about you and talk gear! I am so grateful for the fierce support you have shown me since the very beginning which I want to sincerely thank you for. If you ever see me at a game or event, don't be shy to come say hi :)

With all the good however, inevitably comes the bad and over the last year I have learnt a lot about people both close to me and acquaintances in the industry. I have learnt that not everyone wants you to succeed and that there are a lot of people I cannot trust. From hate/smear campaigns to utterly ludicrous rumors being spread, I have unfortunately experienced it. There are positives that have come from this though - I have developed a thick skin and I know who has my back!


Here's to another year! :D
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