NEW YOUTUBE UPLOAD! FEB INSTA Q&A PART 2!

Hey everyone!

So last week I was pretty silly and forgot to upload to the blog my latest YouTube upload! Here is part 2 of the Feb Instagram Q&A, check it out below! Part 3 will be uploaded next week before our IWA 2017 Vlogs start!


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SLAYDIES SERIES SPOTLIGHT! ALDINA THORNBERRY/TACTICALALI!

Hey everyone! 
So it's that time of week again! It's time for another Slaydies Series Spotlight! This instalment is on a Slaydie who has supported FFA since the very beginning - Aldina Thornberry!

Hey Allie! Thanks for taking part in the Femme Fatale Airsoft Slaydies Series Spotlights! Can you tell my readers a little bit about yourself?

Aldina Thornberry, but most of my friends call me Allie. I’m 19, about to be 20. I’m from San Jose, California. I work in admin (basically I’m a secretary) at a biotech company here in Silicon Valley, I’m also a student. I currently major in Psychology but I’m considering a switch to History. If I stay with psych I’d like to get my doctorate in Psycho-Trauma and work with Veterans who have PTSD. I’m also currently in school so I can get my EMT license and then hopefully my paramedic license.

How long have you been Airsofting?

I started in April 2014, so almost three years.

What got you into Airsoft?

Ha. A guy. A guy I was talking to was a “sponsored player” (all that meant was 10% off at the local store) and he asked to take me. I ended up going with his friends for my 17th birthday and I loved it and have been playing ever since.

What do you love about Airsoft?

I love everything about it. I like the physical aspect of running around, jumping through windows, shooting people. I like that if you want to win you have to come up with a plan, execute it, and be prepared to deviate when things don’t go the way you want. I think my favourite thing has been the people though. Some of my best friends have been people I’ve met at the local fields, or online on Facebook. Shout out to my Slaydies/WOA girls. There may be a lot of drama in Airsoft but if you stay away from the bad eggs, most of the people in Airsoft are great.

Where is your home site?

Fort Ord (Roundhouse Productions? They have like three names) down in Marina, California. I also play at Gamepod Combatzone a lot.

What are the most memorable sites you’ve played?

Fort Ord seems to be my favourite, its unique because it’s outdoors but it’s on a retired military base so you also play in the buildings. They’ve done a few really amazing night ops as well.

How would you describe your playing style?

I’m probably the opposite of MilSim whatever that is. I try not take myself too seriously because come on, it’s Airsoft. I’m a pretty aggressive player and I definitely like to win. I can get kind of bossy on the field if my team starts to lose (which is how I got my callsign) but that’s worked in my favour a few times.

Weapons and Loadouts:  What’s your weapon of choice? And what loadout do you normally run?

I run a completely re-done KWA CQR as my main rifle. At this point I’m not even sure you could call it that, I’ve had all the internals replaced, it has a new stock, lower, and a keymod rail. His name is Leonidas and he’s my baby. My sidearm is a KWA M9 usually I have one standard mag and one extended. I also have started running with 2-3 thunder b’s at any one time.
Usually my goal is to be as light weight as possible so a chest rig or plate carrier with no plates. 6-7 mid cap mags, Valken Zulus for eye pro, and then the rest varies depending on weather.

What are your experiences of being a woman in Airsoft?

I think being a woman in Airsoft has its pros and cons like anything else. When I first started it was rare to see another woman at a game and so guys would kind of go all doe eyed. Now whenever I play there is usually 3-5 of us women so it’s a little more normal to see but not really. A lot of the guys I’ve been lucky to become friends with have been really great to me since joining, my sidearm was a gift, a lot of the gear I had when I first started were hand-me-downs from my first team, even my first MultiCams were hand-me-downs from them. I’m not too sure if that’s because I’m a woman or because they are nice guys but from what I’ve heard it’s a chick thing to get free stuff.

One huge con to being a girl in Airsoft has been harassment and overall creepiness from guys online. I’ve been very lucky to not have been harassed at fields very much due to having a lot of staff friends at the fields I play at, but it has happened once or twice. Mostly though it’s in PMs on Instagram or comments on forums and stuff like that. As more women get into the sport though I’ve been noticing it get better. I had to publicly shame someone once and it happened a lot less after that.

I had the honour of being the Captain of an all girls Airsoft team (The Pink Rangers) for about two years, and that was pretty amazing. At our height we had 7 girls, at our smallest we had 3. I was extremely surprised at how welcoming the (mostly) male community in Airsoft was when we started and how supportive they stayed while we were still a team. It was always really cool to come out to games and have guys know who we were and want to play with us. A few times guys were really sceptical of us being a girls only team, but 9/10 times by then end of the day we were all friends and having a great time. One of our main goals as a team was to bring more women into Airsoft, and when we’d go out a lot of guys would be like “I should bring my (insert significant female in their life) and have them play, maybe seeing you girls would help them be more comfortable”.

Can you let my readers know where to find you on social media?

Facebook:

Instagram: @tacticalali

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

Call your hits, don’t be creepy, and listen to the briefing. 


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NEW YEAR, NEW CHANNEL!

Hey everyone!

As a lot of you will know, this year we are seriously upping our YouTube game with loads of exciting new content ranging from reviews, gameplay, vlogs, interviews and more! From covering IWA 2017 in Nuremberg, Germany, our 6 week trip to the United States to my teams 18 week UK Airsoft Tour this year is going to be a big one for us and it'll all be on the Femme Fatale Airsoft YouTube channel for you to keep up to date with! 

My friends over at the Airsoft & Milsim News Blog have kindly designed some badass new channel art for FFA featuring photos by James Murray at Enola Gaye just in time for the big kick off in March 2017. Be sure to check it out!




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NEW YOUTUBE UPLOAD! FEB INSTA Q&A PART 1!

Hey everyone!

So I got a message on Instagram last week requesting another Q&A! I love doing these so I of course obliged! I posted on Instagram asking my followers and you guys and gals sure delivered. It will be a 3 part series because of how many questions there were! Enjoy the first instalment below!


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RANGER GREEN LOADOUT OUT WITH MILITARY 1ST! 5.11 AND PENTAGON TACTICAL!

Hey everyone! I know you’re all massive fans of our load out posts and this is a BDU colour that I am super excited about! My friends over at Military 1st have kindly let me build my ideal ranger green BDU and supplied a bunch of kit for the loadout! In this post we’re going to look at kit from the brands 5.11 Tactical and Pentagon including the 5.11 TacticalRapid Response Quarter Zip Shirt in green, the Pentagon BDU 2.0 Pants in Green and the Pentagon Achilles Trekking 6” boots!


Let’s me give you a little info about Military 1st ! Military 1st are an online retailer based in Manchester, UK who stock tonnes of brands for Military, Police, outdoor enthusiasts and of course, Airsofters. They are a company I used as a customer before I teamed up with them to bring you kit reviews and I’ve always found my orders were correct, on time and I love that you’re always kept up to date with where your order is in regards to shipping with emails and texts! On the occasion I ordered the wrong size, their staff were very helpful and making the exchange was pretty easy.

Now let’s get down to the first item, the 5.11 Tactical Rapid Response Quarter Zip Shirt! The shirt is made from a high performance, quick-dry, two-way stretch Polyester and Spandex mix fabric making it moisture wicking and quick drying – this is what really makes the shirt perfect under body armour or as a middle layer. It has a quarter zip front with a chin guard which helps protect my neck area during games, a zipped pocket on the left arm for storage and Velcro on the right for displaying your favourite patches. It has a very simple and clean look which I really like. I love the little embroidered 5.11 details and the embossed zips – they all add to the look of the shirt. But, how does it fit? The Rapid Response Shirt is a unisex fit and I am usually very sceptical of how accommodating for the female frame a unisex fit can be but unlike a lot of UBACS on the market this product has a ‘compressed fit’ meaning it fits tighter around the body’s contours, which is great for the ladies and for guys of a slender build. I chose a size small and the shirt fit well around my shoulders and the sleeves were loose enough for me to roll them up which is typically how I play, the only thing I found was the shirt was quite long in the body (I’m only 5”4) but I tucked the shirt into the trousers comfortably – no drama!  In regards to price the shirt retails at £63.00 in this colour way so it is a little pricey compared to other green UBACS on the market but 5.11 is quality gear and very well constructed.



The Pentagon BDU 2.0 Pants were a real interesting find, what mostly attracted me to these was the durability, the colour and the price point. So these are made of 215gsm rip-stop fabric (that comes in a variety of colours) with a reinforced seat and knees meaning they are ideal for heavy duty wear, perfect for Airsoft and they have plenty of pockets – two front hand pockets, two back pockets with Velcro fastenings, two expandable cargo pockets on the legs and a small tool pocket on the front of the right leg. SO MUCH STORAGE! They also have space for covert knee pads and 6 chunky belt loop that are perfect for a belt.

They come in sizes 32” to 44” so I opted for the 32” waist, my waist measures at 29” so these give me a little bit of extra room around the waist, especially if I want to tuck in a field shirt or UBACS. As they are a unisex fit the waist band sits just above my belly button. They were really comfy to wear even when crouching and playing. These trousers retail at £23.95 in this colour way so they are also super affordable. For the price, I am really impressed with the features they come with – the only thing I can think that Pentagon could improve on them is offer them in smaller sizes as well for those of a smaller build.

And lastly, for the footwear I chose the Pentagon Achilles Trekking 6” boots and I am in love with them! The footwear is definitely my favourite part of the outfit. These are brand new to Military 1st and they retail at £94.95 which is cheaper than some of the other high end brands but they are still packed with features. They are a coyote suede leather, ankle length boot that comes with features including a Dintex waterproof and breathable membrane lining to keep your feet nice and dry during ops and an Ortholite sole which makes them comfy to wear for extended periods of time. I usually wear a 4.5 shoe so chose a size 5.to give me a little extra space for thick socks during the winter months. The boots are really comfortable across the toes, instep and don’t rub against my heels. The top of the boot sits just above my ankle so I’m pretty happy with the ankle support they give and they have a pretty decent sole on them as well. I’ve worn these in an outdoors environment so far and couldn’t fault them, I am really looking forward to running them in a CQB match!





I’m really digging this ranger green loadout and will definitely be adding to it in the future, I’d love to add a green plate carrier and other accessories to make it a really cohesive look.

We at Femme Fatale Airsoft would like to thank Military 1st for making this post possible and also like to congratulate them on being voted as the Best Gear Retailer for Europe in Popular Airsoft’s 7th Player Choice Awards! Keep up the awesome work!



Photography thanks to Silent Kitty Photography.
Post sponsored by Military 1st.
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SLAYDIES SERIES SPOTLIGHT! MILSIM_ASHLEY!

Hey everyone!
Following from our last Slaydies Series Spotlight we have another! In this post we chat to Ashley Arvelo, a MilSimmer from Southern California!

Hey Ashley! Thanks for being a part of the Femme Fatale Airsoft Slaydies Series Spotlights! Can you tell my readers a little bit about yourself?

Hi! My name is Ashley aka Milsim Ashley and I am 21 (22 in March) I'm from Southern California, USA and I’m a full time college student getting a degree in Criminal Justice.

How long have you been airsofting?

About 4 years give or take a few months.

What got you into Airsoft?

I’d always wanted to go, but I didn’t have anyone to go with. When I started dating my boyfriend we went for his birthday and within a month I had bought my first gun.

What do you love about Airsoft?

I don’t know if it’s the people I get to meet or if it’s the fact that I get to shoot my family members and boyfriend. I’ve met some great friends playing airsoft and it has led to a lot of opportunities for road trips.

Where is your home site?

Code Red Airsoft (but you can sometimes find me at Jungle Island)

What are the most memorable sites you’ve played?

Boron, an abandoned prison was one of my favorites before it was closed to Airsoft events. The history of the place was really interesting to me as a CJ major and there were tons of awesome hiding spots. Also, AMS Broken Home in Oklahoma because I rode a helicopter for the first time there and it was my first Airsoft road trip. I got to meet a lot of people I had only talked to on social media and the crew put on a great event.

Describe your playing style.

I play Milsim, but I tend to be that person who goes on suicide runs and hard charges an objective (I could never be a good sniper).

Weapons and Loadouts:  What’s your weapon of choice? And what loadout do you normally run?

I tend to run my mp5 swordfish and 1911 pistol the most, but my first gun is Freddy, my KWA m4 that caught on fire. You’ll probably be seeing more of my KWA coming up. As for a loadout I have a lot of hand me down and surplus gear from Army Navy stores. I can’t afford to spend a lot of money on my gear so I have a Condor Chest Rig that has held up really well and I wear Magnum boots. The smaller stuff like hat and gloves comes from Voodoo Tactical which if I had the money I’d buy a lot more of.

Being a women in Airsoft, what are your experiences?

When I first got into Airsoft I could definitely feel a pressure to “prove myself” as a player and not as some arm candy that a guy brought out. But, I think that mentality is slowly dying out. I’ve gotten a lot of hate from both players and Airsoft companies because I won’t conform to their idea of what a “female player” should be and I’ve been told I don’t need to play, I just need to look pretty by past sponsors. But, I’ve also received a ton of support from a ton of people (you know who you are) and I can’t thank them enough because it’s kept me in the sport.

Social Media, where can my readers find you?

Instagram: @milsim_ashley
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/milsimashley/

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


I see so many people trying to become “Insta- famous” or an “Airsoft celeb” and it kind of pains me because that isn’t the point of these social media sites, which may sound like I’m a pot calling the kettle black. But, I’ve had experience trying both the “sponsored Airsoft celeb” and the normal everyday player and I’ve found that people respond much better to those who are themselves on social media versus a walking advertisement. Which is why I stay away from individual sponsors. By being yourself you meet so many other players and make friends from all around the world. These relationships are worth more than any sponsorship. So stop trying so hard to reach those follower goals and start being yourself and making friends with each other. In the end, you get something so much better than a discount or a free patch, trust me. 



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VLOG #2! PATCHES PATCHES PATCHES!

Hey everyone!

So in this vlog I talk about our new PVC, velcro backed patches! These are the first FFA patches that have been made available to my lovely followers. Check out the vlog below!

Show your support for FFA by getting a patch, taking a selfie/team pic etc and send them to me or tag me in them on social media and I'll share these on the blog! I would love to see you wearing them!


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VLOG #1! HOW I STARTED AIRSOFT!

Hi everyone!

So this is a question I get asked all the time on Facebook and on Instagram so I thought what better way to answer your question than in my first ever vlog?! Here I talk about how I got started in Airsoft, my first ever game day and how I got so hooked on this sport! Check it out below!


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THE MIDLANDS AIRSOFT FAIR! OCTOBER 2016!

Twice a year, The Gaol Events – a CQB site in the heart of Oakham in Rutland - runs an Airsoft boot fair that attracts big retailers/brands and Airsoft booters and enables them to showcase/sell new products and sell second hand goods as well as get in a taster game of the site and a chance to run a 3 gun course. In April we reported on one of the fastest growing Airsoft events held in the Midlands, and we returned this October to the Gaol once more to find the Midlands Airsoft fair bigger, better and more popular than ever.

The Gaol Events is an intense CQB site housed in wings of the former men’s low security prison HM
Prison Ashwell in Oakham, Rutland. Majority of the Prison was redeveloped as part of the Oakham Enterprise Park in 2013 but 3 of the former wings remain with cells intact for players to fight though along with large outdoor spaces including an exercise yard that still has all the old features of the Prison, from the barbed wire to high prison mesh walls. The site itself is impressive and having played at the Gaol on a fair few occasions, I can say that if you like really close quarter combat, the Gaol is definitely a site you should try. My favourite areas of the site are G Wing – a long wooden building that holds a maze made from the old cells – it is pitch black, super close quarters and absolutely terrifying. This part of the site is one of the toughest areas to clear in the attack and defend game modes! I am also really partial to E Wing as well, a huge brick building that houses cells, common rooms, stairwells and low light corridors to battle your way through.

The cost of the event is as per previous events was a humble £5 which includes entry to the fair, a sausage or bacon cob, a chance to run the 3 gun course and a taster game within a section of the gaming area. This event we saw a massive increase on the last event in both booters and retailers including new and well known names: Ammo Drop – retailers of Airsoft guns and accessories, BB’s Direct – BBs in bulk, RS Airsoft Supplies – retailers of internal parts, 3D printed parts and consumables, ASPUK – distributor of Sniper Airsoft Sniper Rifle upgrade and replacement parts, MTPCAAS – retailers of MTP clothing and accessories, Staffordshire Militaria Supplies – Airsoft, Army Surplus and Outdoor Clothing Supplies, West Midlands Airsoft – Airsoft site based in Stoke on Trent, Nuprol – Suppliers of gas, tactical kit and batteries, ASG – Worldwide manufacturer of realistic imitation firearms and BBs, iWholesales – Importers and Wholesalers of Airsoft Guns and Accessories, Enola Gaye – World leader in pyrotechnics for Airsoft and Paintball, SWAS Airsoft – Retailers of Airsoft Guns and Accessories, Dave’s Custom Airsoft – Retailers of Airsoft Guns and Accessories, The Draft Club – Manufacturers and Suppliers of BBs, Valken – Suppliers of supplies for Airsoft an Paintball. With a varied and extensive list of sellers and booters there was something for everyone. In my previous report I had said that the fair was more for people who were beginners rather than those of us with all the kit but I’m pleased to say that the fair has definitely upped its game from the last event! I would still love to see more big brand names attend the fair but as the fair grows I’m sure this will happen in the near future.

During the fair the punters get to see new and prototype products from the retailers, this event we got to see a whole host of new products from Nuprol such as their new CE rated shooting glasses and mini 2.0 green gas bottle which is sure to prove popular with Airsofters as this new bottle is smaller, lighter and can be carried more easily on the field! We even got to see the new black smoke from Enola Gaye which is due to be released in December and the new 3 minute Cloud Maker Smoke Grenade which we should see in all 9 colours of smoke released in early 2017!

At every fair, a raffle is held in aid of the events chosen Charity ‘The Pilgrim Bandits’ and this event was no exception! The Pilgrim Bandits are an amazing charity who help our injured service men and women ‘believe in a life worth living again’ by pushing them to new limits with sponsored sky dives, kayaking and other sponsored events that help raise money to support more injured troops and research to push scientific and engineering advances into prosthetic limbs. Our friends at the Pilgrim Bandits are also Airsoft Action’s chosen charity. It is always a pleasure to catch up with Terry and Mike Arnett, the father son team who head up a lot of the midlands fundraising for the charity. This event we saw some amazing raffle prizes including £150, £100 and £50 vouchers to spend at either Ammo Drop, ASPUK or BBs Direct, a BB bundle from Valken, and a range of Gas and PMC caps from the team at Nuprol amongst other prizes which raised a great amount for the charity! I think it’s amazing the support the Airsoft Community shows for great causes such as the Pilgrim Bandits.

As well as walking around the fair, purchasing and checking out the new products from retailers, Airsofters get the chance to run the 3 gun course (using a pistol, shotgun and rifle) – an accuracy challenge that is run in the F Wing area of the prison, during the course competitors must eliminate targets with all three weapons in the quickest time and take part in one of 3 mini games that are held throughout the day each limited to 30 players per game, and in these games both walk on and rental players are welcome, with all the kit being provided for rental players! It is worth noting that rental players are allowed to play more than one game to really get a feel for Airsoft! I think it’s great that this is offered as it gives potential new players the chance to try out Airsoft without paying £45 plus to play a rental game day! The gaming is held in the G Wing area of the prison.

All in all, I really enjoyed the Midlands Airsoft Fair and I definitely feel the event is proving itself event after event to be a great day out and as always excellent value for money, especially as the price includes a breakfast cob and a mini taster game! The £5 entry fee is extremely affordable and won’t break the bank and it gives potential new players a chance to experience Airsoft for such a small fee compared to average rental day fees so this gets a huge thumbs up from me. The selection of retailers and booters this event was varied and extensive so there was something for everyone on the day, from pyro to RIFs to tactical clothing, everything was covered. It is also a great social event to meet like-minded Airsofters, for me this was the perfect chance to meet new friends and catch up with old friends. I am excited to see what the Midlands Airsoft fair has to offer the Airsoft Community at its next event in April 2017!


For future events, and if you fancy booking your own selling space at the next event (‘cause we all know that we have kit that we’re just hoarding!) all info can be found on their website: www.midlandsairsoftfair.co.uk











Hardwick, K. (2016). Midlands Airsoft Fair. Airsoft Action. Xmas (69), 54-55.
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