NUPROL LARGE HARDCASE REVIEW!

Hey everyone! 
So our last review of 2016 is here and we have the Large Hard Rifle Case from Nuprol! The team at Nuprol kindly supplied FFA with a green hard case at our 2nd birthday skirmish in November to keep all our custom RIFs in and we have finally given it a good few outings so let's get into the review!

The Nuprol Large Hard Case is exactly what it says on the tin - a large, hard rifle case designed to carry (or store) and transport Airsoft guns to and from games safely. Now there are a lot of hard cases on the market, so really, what makes this special?

Well, I think personally what makes this particular product a notable one is the value for money you get - the Nuprol team have packed a tonne of higher end features into a unit costing a budget friendly £59.99. Now I've paid a lot more for a lot less in weapon cases so for me the price point is spot on. Let's have a look at the features of the case! It comes in 3 colours - Green, Black and Tan, it weighs just 2.5kg, has 4 easy to close latches to keep it securely closed and 2 padlock holes on the front edge to allow the weapon to be locked up - perfect for travelling. The case also has an IP67 waterproof rating which is pretty handy when travelling to games on rainy days (Scotland :P). With Dimensions of 103x33x15cm externally and 98x29x12.5cm internally it's also a pretty sizable case - I managed to fit both my G&G CM16 SRL and the G&G RK74-T in at the same time.



Both the top and bottom pieces have a thick foam insert to hold the rifles in place securely when the case is closed. The foam doesn't feel cheap and springs back to its original shape once the RIF has been removed from the case.

The case also features a carry handle on the side and one on the top to make transporting the case as easy as possible. I really like how ergonomic the handles are, even when the case is weighed down by heavy RIFs the handles don't cut into your hand and they feel pretty robust - there is no sign of them failing during transport . The dual handles also in my opinion set off the look of the case.

Lastly, the most important feature of the case is, its wheels! Yep, you read that correctly, that is my favourite aspect of the case. There are currently no other cases on the market with wheels for such a low price. For those who can't afford the big name brands such a Peli etc these cases are a great solution to storing and transporting Airsoft weapons.























Overall, I am really impressed with the Nuprol Hard Cases, they are fit for the job, feel sturdy, have a tonne of great features and they look more expensive than they actually are. I found it difficult to find anything I don't like about the case - it can be pretty loud when rolling it along, but that can't be helped! Haha
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SLAYDIES SERIES SPOTLIGHT! KIMBERLEY SEDDON/CALLSIGN_KIMBOSLICE

Hey everyone! Following on from the popular Slaydies Series Spotlights, here is our next installment! An Airsofter from Manchester UK who regularly frequents the MilSim scene! 
Hi Kim! Thanks for taking part in the Slaydies Series Spotlights! Can you tell my readers a little bit about yourself?
Kimberley Seddon, 23, from Manchester and I work for the Ambulance Service, working towards becoming a Paramedic!
How long have you been Airsofting? What got you into Airsoft?
I've been playing about a year now! My Fiancé started playing with his best friend, because of our jobs we don’t have a lot of spare time together, so it was a way of spending more time with him, also the thought of shooting at things as a way to de stress seemed like a cool idea at the time, 1 year down the line, I’m still playing and spending a silly amount of money!
What do you love about Airsoft?
The Camaraderie, the togetherness, especially if you’re part of a team like I am fortunate enough to be a part of. I play with the Wolfpack.
Where is your home site?
My home site is Trojan Airsoft in Stockport. It’s a CQB site, played in a old mill very compact, lots of opportunities to engage. Get yourself down there and say hello!
What are the most memorable sites you’ve played?
Probably my favourite site would have to be where I played my first Milsim - Sennybridge FIBUA. It’s basically a town they’ve created. It’s brilliant, very compact moving building to building, lots of opportunities to engage, but it has a woodland down one side and it’s on a hill so depending on which side depends on whether you play uphill or downhill. We played uphill, was a real challenge, had to really think about what you were doing and use the site to our advantage. It also rained all weekend so you had to have something about you to play whilst you were cold and wet. It was also quite hard being ambushed every time you slept. It didn't seem funny at the time, but I could imagine it being quite funny seeing someone come at you with only one boot on because you were ambushed at silly o’clock in the morning and had no time to think (yup, I did that.)
I also enjoyed playing at Caerwent, it was the complete opposite to sennybridge, wide and expansive, able to see vast distances, was hard work defending such a large FOB and being attacked from all sides. Was even more of a challenge attacking the enemy FOB with it being so far away, it was a all or nothing kinda deal. Felt immense when we captured it! Looking forward to playing there again. 
How would you dscribe your playing style?
As a team it’s go hard or go home, very aggressive - in your face, we like to let you know we are here. Personally I quite like the sneakiness of the game, I could quite happily sit in a bush for hours on end waiting for the perfect time to strike. It’s so much more satisfying surprising the enemy, seeing their faces when they’re like “what the eff has happened here?”
Weapons and Loadouts:  What’s your weapon of choice? And what loadout do you normally run?
I run 2 RIFS, not at the same time obvs!
My first baby is my Tippmann M4 Carbine, G&G stock, Tight-bore barrel and custom hop. It’s got loads of recoil and is just noisy and offensive. Puts a smile on my face when you hear people go “Oh FUCK! There’s that Tippmann again!” They’re so distinctive in how they sound. A few of the guys on our team run them, they all sound different in their own way, kinda have a character to them, it’s dead cool. I run mine on a HPA system. Dead reliable once you know what you’re doing.
Next baby is my KRYTAC arms CRB. it’s a beautiful thing to run. Personally think Krytac’s are the best AEG’s on the market. They certainly aren’t cheap, but you get what you pay for. Dead smooth, quiet and look really mean with a tracer unit on it.
I’m fortunate that I never get bored of either of my rifles, it’s a privilege to open my gun box and know that both of my RIF’s are AMAZING.
I also run 2 1911’s one full sized and one baby colt. I think they look dead smart, the baby colt fits in my hand PERFECTLY. They run so well, I love them.
Rig wise I run a Warrior Assault System DCS. It’s so well made and fits so well, really adaptable, I also run a back pack for my HPA system, keeps everything out the way and tidy. I also run contrast Bollee’s, they’re handy and everything seems clearer!
All I need now is a pink BFG and my load out will be complete!
Where can my readers find you on social media?
IG: callsign_kimboslice
 Is there anything you would like to say to other players out there?
Keep slaying you Badass Bitches! Haha! But in all seriousness just get yourselves down to your local site - get involved, don’t be afraid to ask questions, people will be more than happy to help out and point you in the right direction. Would be amazing to see more women playing! Can’t wait to see more of you ladies on the battlefield! 

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SLAYDIES SERIES SPOTLIGHT! LEANNE WILDER/WILDAIRSOFT!

Hi all, so in this next instalment of the FFA Slaydies Series Spotlights is a lady from Florida, USA - Leanne!

Hi Leanne! Thanks for taking part in the Femme Fatale Airsoft player spotlights! Can you give me readers a little info about yourself?


Leanne Wilder, 21, Plant City FL, I am a waitress at O’Briens Irish Pub in Plant City. I play Airsoft almost every Sunday as work restricts me to that day unless I take off for a specific event.

How long have you been Airsofting? 

From sometime in either 2009 or 2010, not super sure but I have continued to always improve on both my kit and my skills!

What got you into Airsoft?

Honestly, my brother. He started playing Airsoft at Black Tiger Airsoft (BTA) when it was run out at the Orbital Paintball field, up until they got kicked out. My brother mentioned that we lived on a large amount of land (about 100 acres) to the then-owner Mike, and Mike and my dad Barry were able to work out the details and get Mike and Black Tiger running out on our property, which is when I started helping out and really getting into it. After a while, Mike sold the business outright to my parents and I worked as a referee/sales rep/photographer/internet marketer/food stand manager up until the day they sold it.

What do you love about Airsoft? 

I love and extremely appreciate the physical exercise that comes with it and the awesome camaraderie that I have built with the people that I had the joy of working with. Almost everyone was there to have a great time, and that’s exactly what we strove to do, and we’re successful in most accounts.

Where is your home site? 

Either TAC in Lakeland or DV8 in Lithia, but BTA will always have a piece of my heart.

What are the most memorable sites you’ve played? 

I went and played at my first major MilSim event last year at ALTAIR Training Solutions in South Florida and wow! I could have never imagined how it would be in a million years. I’ve played at indoor facilities before, but to be in an old detention facility like OP Overwatch was in, it was simply amazing. DV8 also hosts a game at their #2 field about every year, and the hills and dense woodland areas are an awesome change to the regular flat Florida outdoor field.

Can you describe your playing style?

 Hard and fast with lots of communication. I know that it’s the basic principles of this game, but if you don’t apply it and really get into the mindset of making buddies everywhere you go and working as a team, then you aren’t going to play the game to it’s fullest. Also, I enjoy being the designated medic on the team because it’s fun to really rush out and try to help someone while your teammates cover you, knowing that they will do everything to protect you and the guy (or lady) you’re trying to help. It’s an ideal situation for myself to go to a field with a big group of dudes that I know, but it doesn’t always happen so I like to sort of put myself out there when the mission is green-lighted. “Okay, which way are you guys gonna go?” “Alright, let’s do this” “Yes, I’ll cover you” are all great ways to let the dudes you don’t know that you’re a team player and you will have their back no matter what.

Let's talk about weapons and loadouts: What’s your weapon of choice? And what loadout do you normally run? 

My weapon of choice is my Frankenstein M4. It has a classic army lower, and an ICS (maybe?) upper, with all kinds of different internals, a Daniel Defense free-float RIS, and Magpul MOE pistol grip and stock. Any BDU pants will work fine, but a women’s cut is preferred. With my vest, I just recently purchased a JPC (which I am oh-so-excited to try out and review), but my go-to has always been my condor chest rig. I have two similar loadouts, one for my JG M14, and one for my M4. Both use the condor chest rig, but the black one with 5.56 mag pouches I modded (half hazzardly) a 3-day pack to hook into the back of it, to give me a place to put my hydration pouch and miscellaneous medical supplies and Intel found on the field. I never, EVER go to a game without my 5.11 boots (though one time I did and had to make an emergency trip to Walmart, terrible mistake) and some nice long black socks. ESS goggles, my skull lower mesh mask, and either my FAST helmet or a ball cap complete my look.

Being a women in Airsoft: What are your thoughts?

It’s just like being a man in Airsoft, only people expect less of you. My goal is to overachieve what I think I am capable of, and it almost always stuns my opponents and team mates alike.

Where can my readers find you on social media?

Facebook: www. facebook.com/WildAirsoftFL
Youtube: www.youtube/6HtJUPGYyGY
Instagram: @WildAirsoft

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

Call your hits. Even if there is no one watching, call it. The game is just that, a game and everyone gets hit. Remember that you’re there to have fun and work your ass off to do so, so do it.




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FEMME FATALE AIRSOFT'S TOP 5 UK AIRSOFT SITES 2016!

Hey everyone! It's that time of year again, with 2016 coming to a very much welcome end (I think we'll all agree 2016 has been an absolute roller coaster!) it's time to reflect on the sites I've played this year and decide on my personal favourites! (I've highlighted personal because this is just my list of favourites from sites I've played, it's not an exhaustive list!) We have some old faithful favourites and some new entries this year! From urban venues to CQB here is my top 5 sites 2016!

Number 5 - The Billet, Ambush Adventures


At number 5 we have The Billet, which is ran by Ambush Adventures and is located in Aldershot, Hampshire. An old favourite of mine, The Billet is an old military barracks which is made up of 2 spider buildings that are absolutely full to the brim with rooms and corridors to fight through with a large outdoor space as well that offers a variety of game play. The firefights are always super intense and I love that this site runs a lot of objective games with props and tech to compliment them! You can check out my full review of the site here

Number 4 - UCAP Sandpit, UCAP Airsoft


A new entry for this year at number 4 is the Sandpit in Dartford, Kent that was the venue for Stirling Airsoft's Operation Broadsword! Unfortunately the Sandpit closed down this year due to redevelopment but I'm sure those who have played the site can attest to how awesome it was! The Sandpit was a vast site that encompassed a quarry, a lake where boats were a regular appearance at game days, buildings for that close CQB  rush and plenty of vegetation and green stuff for those woodland players out there! 

Number 3 - The Gaol, The Gaol Events


Another new entry for 2016! The Gaol in Oakham, Rutland! The Gaol is an old low security prison that comprises of 4 former wings of the prison, and a large outdoor space full of cars, buildings and gated areas to fight through. From the pitch black maze to the kill house made up of an old cell block this site is offers intense CQB. The games played vary from death matches, to objective based games featuring props such as MILAN missile launcher. Check out my full site review here

Number 2 - Wentworth CQB, Skirmish Airsoft


Another new entry! Skirmish Airsoft's Wentworth CQB in Rotherham! The first time I rocked up to this site I was a little confused as to why they'd let us play Airsoft in the Wentworth Estate, but on the Wentworth Estate there is a cluster of 2 storey buildings that were previously student accommodation meaning players get to fight through bedrooms, kitchens, corridors and social rooms in team death matches and objective games. What I love about this site is that it is super, super close room clearance CQB. Check out my full site review here

Number 1 - Strike Force CQB, Strike Force


At Number 1 we have my home site Strike Force CQB in Gloucester. Strike Force is a Victorian warehouse in the heart of Gloucester city centre that contains 2 definitive zones full of kill house structures, a maze, open spaces and of course tonnes of tight corners and spaces to work your way through. With new games constantly being thrown into the mix and the site being rebuilt every month or so it's impossible to get bored and keeps the game play fresh which is why I have chosen this as my top site for 2016! See my full site review here.

Is there any sites you love playing and would recommend? Leave them in the comments below!
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CAMP SOLBACKEN/TJARNAN CQB IN HEDEMORA, SWEDEN BY CALLSIGN HANNA!

Hey everyone! 
With a growing demand for international content Femme Fatale Airsoft is pleased to announce that we will be having guest bloggers share their experiences and reviews from all over the globe. For our first guest blog we have a review on the Camp Solbacken/Tjarnan CQB in Hedemora, Sweden by Callsign Hanna! Check it out below!

At an abandoned sanatorium in the Swedish forest of Dalecarlia you’ll find a great CQB location, a welcoming airsoft community and plenty of pyro. 

It’s pitch black and cold in the basement of the old sanatorium. We’re advancing through concrete floored corridors. A well-thrown grenade later we enter the old boiler room. Weapon lights pierce the darkness whilst we search for the RFID-tag that will show us the next location we should head to in the 4500 sqm large house.

At Camp Solbacken, north of Hedemora in Dalecarlia, Sweden, games are arranged twice a month and they are usually very well thought through and fun to be a part of. During a game day, 4-6 games of roughly 1 hour are fitted in and each game differs from the previous one.

An especially fun game is the RFID tag-hunt that was created by members of Team Miffo Airsoft Sweden. Basically participants are divided into teams and each is equipped with a tag reader. You are informed of the location of the first tag and then the game begins. The team need to find as many tags as possible before the time is up whilst encountering fire fights with the other teams. When you find and scan one tag, the reader gives up the location of the next one.

Another game that I personally really liked was the “capture the flag” inspired game during which we searched for two hard cases with loudspeakers inside. Once you found one your mission was to keep it until the end of the game. The obstacle: every 30 seconds the hard case made extremely loud noises and flashed coloured lights making the carrier an attractive prey for the opposing teams. I managed to grab a case and then I ran continuously with a handful of teammates for half an hour without a pause up and down and around the entire house until game time was up.

4 500 sqm indoor (but cold) Swedish CQB

The location itself consists of an abandoned sanatorium with three floors plus the basement and a rickety attic. Three large stairwells connect the floors in addition to hidden ladders and sneaky stairways behind doors. The old house is vast so it is quite hard to stay oriented during the very first games if you have never been there before. Though suddenly ending up alone in rooms with old doctors equipment definitely adds some adrenaline to the experience.

Camp Solbacken is also used by the armed forces to practice CQB in a realistic setting so expect hundreds of rooms, long corridors and a need for explosives. The players here really love pyro and grenades so there is plenty of noise. Wearing active hearing protection is recommended since it is otherwise hard to communicate with your teammates. If you wear earplugs you will feel a bit “out of everything”.

Well placed smoke machines, flashing orange lights and weird music in empty rooms adds excitement. A man called Koko usually manages the games and he does this extremely well. If you attend during Halloween or before Christmas he will have prepared treasure hunt games during which you search for hidden skeletons, skulls or mini-santas depending on the season. If you’re out of luck, you might meet the un-killable Death himself in the completely dark rooms downstairs.

There is no heating though so during winter games sub-zero temperatures are common. Make sure to bring gear and clothes that work in these conditions. On-site there is a small kiosk where you can get energy drinks, snacks and flash bangs but you really need to bring everything else that you need. However, if you need help with anything, the players here are extremely nice and helpful and will gladly answer any questions and generally help out with whatever they can. The atmosphere truly is great and welcoming. I, who don’t belong to a team, usually travel there alone and always meet great people. On a side note, being a female Airsofter I’m in the minority but that is never an issue here. Everyone is welcome at Camp Solbacken as long as you call your hits and play fair.


Overall, Camp Solbacken is a great CQB site and a personal favourite of mine. Seeing as I am usually a woodland player (apart from loving games at abandoned soviet army bases…) this really is the location that got me into CQB. If you enjoy pyro, tight CQB with high levels of adrenaline and meeting some of the nicest players in the Swedish Airsoft community, you should definitely pack you bags and head to Camp Solbacken. 


Written by:
Callsign Hanna
Photo of Hanna is credited to @channelairsoft 

What you need to know and bring:
– Check out Camp Solbacken on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CampSolbacken/) for information on the next game, write a comment and someone will help you if you don’t know Swedish.
– There is a maximum amount of players allowed and we Swedes use a thread at the forum www.airsoftsverige.com to reserve a spot but if you are visiting from another country, write directly to Camp Solbacken or Team Miffo Airsoft who has Camp Solbacken as their home site (https://www.facebook.com/miffoofficial/) and they will help you out.
– You must wear ear protection in addition to eye pro. There is A LOT of pyro during the games.
– Make sure you get the safety brief and game rules – they are explained in English ^^
– You need a car to get to the location

– Game play cost 150 SEK (roughly 15 euros) and should be paid using cash or the money transfer solution Swish 
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TMC 'JUNGLE PLATE CARRIER' REVIEW!

Last month saw the opening of a new online Airsoft retailer called weapon762.com that stock a wide range of brands for Airsoft and an exclusive range of TMC sport gear, a brand from a Hong Kong based gear manufacturer, at an affordable price - reportedly the best price on the market. With over 2,000 products and 2-4 day shipping to the UK from their warehouse in Germany, could this online retailer provide UK Airsofter's with great deals and rival other well known and well loved brands? Here I take a look at the TMC 'Jungle Plate Carrier' or JPC 1.0 from their store.

So the Jungle Plate Carrier is a replica of the Crye Precision JPC or 'Jumpable Plate Carrier' but it's not just another cheap knock off - TMC use genuine US made MultiCam Cordura fabric but retails at a just under a quarter of the price.

The Jungle Plate Carrier is designed to be a lightweight and minimalist vest solution for maximum mobility. At just over one pound in weight for the entire plate carrier, even with the high density foam dummy plates included, the plate carrier focuses  on shedding unnecessary weight and bulk whilst improving mobility and ventilation for the operator. With an abundance of molle on the front and back of the JPC it allows the user to customise their JPC with pouches etc. It also features an integrated admin pouch and 3 magazine pouches on the front of the carrier just like the Crye JPC. 

It's straps are a light, rubber like material and it has a skeleton cummerbund that is fully adjustable meaning it fits a multitude of body shapes and sizes but if you fancy a change from the cummerbund, it does come with a replacement set of MultiCam fabric straps. For someone of a small frame like myself,

In regards to the quality of the product I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the fabric - it has the same sort of feel of the MultiCam fabric that we know and love, the only noticeable difference that became apparent to me is that the the cummerbund is finished differently (and it is quite stiff due to being new). The fit was also a pleasant surprise, because it is so light and completely adjustable it the contours of my small lady frame well and was easy to wear all day so I would definitely recommend this JPC for Airsofters who want a lightweight, small platecarrier that doesn't cost the Earth! The plates aren't too flexible at first but they do flex up with some heat and movement.

I decided to keep mine lightweight for a skirmish day so only chose to add a couple of patches and my TRMR HLDR. As the JPC already has a set of 3 built in mag pouches this was plenty for a few 120 round midcaps for the games. I didn't use the integrated admin pouch but it had room for pens, maps etc which I think would be useful during a MilSim or themed skirmish. I would probably wear this JPC during a MilSim for STAG duties or for a medic role because it is so lightweight.

Finally let's chat about the price, the burning question - how much is it?! The TMC JPC retails at £47.69 which is a fantastic price point! Femme Fatale Airsoft is also working with weapon762 to get you 10% off purchases from their site with the code femmefataleairsoft-weapon762, simply copy and paste the code into the voucher bar at the checkout and receive 10% off your order! Which means you could pick this up for just over £40 - bargain!


Photography thanks to Liam Sibley.
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A TRIBUTE TO MARK, AIRSOFT DENMARK

Just over a week ago, I got the call that one of my friends, Mark Rasmussen had passed away. This post didn't seem appropriate at the time, but now the news has been shared with the Airsoft community, I wanted to write a short post about Mark and the impact he had on the Airsoft community.

Mark was just 22 years old, and was the CEO and founder of Airsoft Denmark, the leading Airsoft blog hailing from Denmark. A blog that I had only been introduced to a short 2 months ago but was rapidly becoming one of my favourites for Airsoft news around the globe. He had recently moved from Denmark to the UK and was on a tour of Airsoft sites and MilSims around the UK with ASG, to promote Airsoft Denmark and bring together the UK and Danish Airsoft communities.

In the short amount of time I have known Mark online, we only met in person the once and that was at HTIS Operation Blue Fox 2 at the Fire Service College. Mark arrived with ASG as part of his UK tour. During the friday evening, event attendees were socialising in the bar and retail areas of the event. We met up for a beer and got chatting about our work, hobbies, our friends and families, what we had planned for the future and made plans to collaborate on a number of projects that I was thoroughly looking forward to. As Mark wasn't attached to a team for the event, he joined me and my friends in P.A.S.T for our taskings and was a pleasure to run with.

During this event, Mark presented me with an Airsoft Denmark players patch for my contribution to Airsoft, an unexpected gesture but one that was greatly appreciated. A patch which I wear with pride.

Mark himself made an extraordinary contribution to the worldwide Airsoft community through his passion for Airsoft and writing that was shown through Airsoft Denmark. He was professional, and had an enthusiasm and joy for life that is rare to see. Airsoft has lost one of its brightest sparks and he will be missed.

Femme Fatale Airsoft extends our sincere condolences to Mark's family, friends and of course colleagues at Airsoft Denmark during this sad time.

Hvil i fred bror.

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VALKEN THUNDER B SHOCKER GRENADE REVIEW!

Anyone who has played Airsoft with me knows I love using Pyrotechnics in game, whether it is a Solid state BFG such as the TRMR or the SWAT VTG, TAG round or a disposable bang, sometimes they are the difference between gaining entry to a tricky to access room or a stalemate, the difference between winning and losing. These devices have become integral to Airsoft game days with an increasing amount of players using them and the choice available is quite comprehensive. So when Nige handed me a bag full of Valken Thunder B Shocker Grenades my eye lit up at the prospect of testing them!

The Valken Thunder B Shocker is a CO2 powered sound distraction device which utilises a CO2 cartridge and a pin/spoon system to create a 130 db bang, once a cartridge is inserted and the pin is removed/spoon released the cartridge is pierced and the plastic shell begins to fill with CO2 – which is recognised by a distinct hissing sound. The shell has been designed to have a weak seam to enable the user to ‘predict’ when the device will detonate. The grenade is split into two parts, the reusable section which contains the munition (CO2) and the disposable plastic shells. It is worth noting that you can also fill the shell with BBs to turn it into a BB grenade, and a handy little tip I received was to also place a small amount of talcum powder in it to make a cloud as well.

Now one thing I will say about these grenades is they are SO loud and I would seriously suggest wearing ear protection whilst using them, I did not expect the bang that came from this relatively small piece of kit. They are definitely a top notch distraction device in fact, if one of these went off next to you I’d be surprised if you didn’t need new knickers. When using these in game, after the device had deployed its munitions there was almost always a shout of ‘what the f*ck was that?!’. In regards to what the grenades primary objective is - distraction, I’d give it a 10. After deployment people are more concerned with making sense of what was just detonated than their surroundings meaning you can go to work. I can think of a fair few game situations where I could have done with something this loud to scare the opponents.


I really like the aesthetics of the Shocker grenade, it mimics a real world grenade design in a classic green colour. The shell has been designed with ergonomic indents on the body of the shell to make them more tactile and easier to handle and I love the raised skull design that is on the side. The white weak seam is easy to identify and it is easy to determine how the device works from how it looks.

I did unfortunately have some problems during testing mainly down to flaws in the products design, for instance whilst holding the loaded grenade at an odd angle the pin slipped out which would have been no issue if I was also holding the spoon however as I only had my hand around the shell it could have been an issue if I hadn’t heard the sound of seeping gas and thrown it to a safe distance before it had chance to detonate. I feel this could be easily rectified with a simple change in design of the pin, if the pin was hooked this would eliminate this problem. I would have also liked the detonation time on tests to be a little more consistent for me to gauge when the device would go bang – the time between pulling the pin and the device detonating was between 4-10 seconds which is too big a variant with such a product in my opinion. A few of the bangs did take me by surprise.

The very last test of the day unfortunately rendered the device unusable – now I hold my hands up, this could have been user error but I feel this could be an issue other players experience so it must go in the review. We primed the grenade, pulled the pin and threw it, bang it went and everything looked good until we inspected the device closely after attempting to fit a new shell. The previous shells thread had become lodged in the device thread, we tried removing the shell but with the force of the detonation, it was well and truly lodged in there rendering the reusable part of the grenade a dud – I feel that this could maybe be rectified by using a pair of pliers to dislodge it.

Overall, I was pretty disappointed with the Shocker Grenade. One of the main thoughts whilst writing this review was ‘great idea but not ready yet’, although the product looks pretty badass, is innovative and has great potential to be a huge hit with the Airsoft community but there are a few improvements that would need to be made in my opinion before it is ready to hit the wider market – such as a redesigned ‘hooked’ pin to ensure it doesn’t fall out before the user is ready to deploy the munition, especially for players that like to have nades hanging from their rigs, I also feel that it would need to be more predictable in regards to detonation times as they were a little inconsistent for my liking, with products of this nature the detonation time needs to be predictable every time to ensure user safety (no one needs one of these going off in their hand!). I would love to see these improvements made and give these another try, but for now I’ll be sticking to my tried and tested favourites.


Hardwick, K. (2016). Valken Thunder B Grenade. Airsoft Action. 67 (Nov), 60-61.







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OPERATION CRUCIBLE: THE TRIFECTA

The scene: the African city of Ati has fallen. After the remains of the Chadian Army withdrew from the immediate area, Azearian State Fighters entered the city, raising their flags over Government buildings and declaring the area an Azearian stronghold. SOTF Chad withdrew from the city last year which in turn prompted new attacks against the Chadian forces. Confirmation of the late former President, who was brutally murdered in the streets of Chad, had allied himself with AS has only undermined any International Relations with Chad.


Currently the Kanem Brotherhood is holding the position of interim government in N’Djamena, and they have also declared their allegiance with AS. The stability of Chad and central Africa has reached breaking point. AS and allied KOA forces have begun distribution of arms across the country and, more and more local militia and tribal groups have either allied with or officially joined AS meaning tensions are high and the area is highly volatile.

A small advisory training team comprised of International Special Forces from the US, UK Europe remains in N’Djamena and are continuing to work with the small number of Chadian Uniformed Police at the order of the UK government to help quell some of the unrest in the area but with the Azearian State, Knights of Azear and Kanem Brotherhood now focusing all their attention on N’Djamena, SOTF Chad has been diverted to reinforce the International Special Forces stationed in the city.

On the weekend of 13th-14th August 2016 I was invited by Stirling Airsoft to attend their latest operation, Operation Crucible at Caerwent FIBUA village in Monmouthshire, Wales to experience all three of the main factions within their themed games – ISAF, Civilian Population and my own team Chad Police. Let’s first talk a little bit about Stirling and what they do: Stirling Airsoft are one of the UK’s leading Airsoft events companies who bring together their varied backgrounds (including ex SF instructors) to bring Airsofters highly immersive large scale, scenario based 24 hour Airsoft events that challenge the participant both mentally and physically.

The site they picked for Op Crucible is a site that is rapidly becoming one of my favourite sites for MilSim Ops! MOD Caerwent is a large military site which was formerly used as a Royal Navy Propellant factory that was dedicated to the manufacturing of explosives and storage of ammunition from 1939 to 1993. Since its closure in 1993 it is used for a variety of activities from Airsoft to Field exercises and even car rallies. The site has an overall gated area of 7 miles that encompasses over 400 buildings and bunker structures but also the training areas own railway system. The terrain is varied and ranges from open grassy areas to berms, hills, wooded areas, a fully-fledged road system and of course the hundreds of buildings on site – because of its diverse landscape it opens the options for different playing styles from close quarters combat to long range engagements and sniping opportunities. The site is around a 2 and a half hour drive from my home in the Midlands and unlike other MOD sites such as Sennybridge FIBUA it is super easy to find – being just off the A48!

After we arrived we signed in at the gates – booking at Stirling is extremely easy and is done via the booking page on their website and with prices at £85 per person for the event it is one of the more affordable MilSim style ops, especially with the option to pay a £45 deposit and the rest on arrival.

As soon as we signed in we set up our FOB in one of the munitions storage buildings set deep within 3 hills, had some food and some well needed rest before the start of the weekend. Stirling Ops last for 24 hours none stop, no safe zones and no breaks so any rest you can get before the event is a plus!

In the morning we awoke bright and early, I donned my civvie clothes and left the Police fob with my first port of call being the civilian population. This element was completely new to me as playing a civilian within the story requires more role play than I have previously experienced. For my role I took on the part of a journalist for the local newspaper (The Chad Gazette) and was escorted around the city by MJ, the local civilian leader in the city to meet the local residents. The immersion is fantastic and it really feels like you are in this world. As I was walking around the city documenting the day to day life of Chadian locals, one thing became very clear – tensions were high between the two sides and unarmed civilians being shot on sight by ISAF forces only added to the tensions. Around every corner was unrest, ISAF and local residents going toe to toe as the soldiers prevented the residents from going about their daily lives and jobs. From this experience it was clear to see that the inhabitants were deeply unhappy with the ISAF occupation of their city. I spoke to a lot of the locals and the unrest mostly stemmed from the brutal murder of their beloved president. I left the side under the understanding that something big was happening, exited for what was to come in the next few hours.

For most of the Op I played with my own team – The Chad Police, the Police forces team has one objective during these Ops and that is to keep peace within the city and to quell any unrest/unlawfulness. Our duties started with patrolling the city and setting up road blocks to monitor what traffic was going in and out of the city and to check there was no contraband being smuggled in. As it became apparent to us that laws of the city were broken we started bringing in locals for questioning to get to the bottom of what was happening within the city.

One of the highlights of the weekend was the protest the civilians put on in memory of their late president, as we got word a large group were moving towards the ISAF camp we jumped into our vans and quads to provide support. We formed a protective barrier between the protesters and the ISAF soldiers,

From the berm that overlooked our FOB we watched as the ISAF camp got attacked on the hour, every hour of the night. From mortars, tag rounds, pyro and tracer rounds. The sky was alive with light and colour and the ground was aflutter with movement as the civilian militia moved in on the ISAF camp and gave them hell. ISAF as always put up a strong fight and the orders being screamed at the force could be heard through the site.

When light broke on the Sunday morning I donned my MultiCam gear and jumped on the quad to the ISAF fob at the heart of Caerwent. Their fob was a large munitions building surrounded by sanghars and hesco blocks, a fortress – easily defendable but vulnerable because of the sheer size and ostentatiousness of the building. As I entered the camp it was clear from the expressions on the teams faces that the night attacks had taken their toll on the force, however as soon as the order was given to mount the vehicles feet hit the ground running and the troops were on their assigned vehicles and moving out. I took a seat in the lead vehicle and watching the Saracen and Wimmick’s roll out with dust flying out from under every wheel was quite a sight, they were taking the fight to the heart of the civvie camp. When the order was given the troops dismounted the vehicles and started engaging the enemy forces, I disembarked and ran with a squad into the thick of it. One thing that really threw me off whilst running alongside the Stirling callsign was just how regimented the side is – there’s no running rogue and engaging whoever and causing chaos as I’m used to. You stick to your taskings. This means that the troops are a lot more organised and a force to be reckoned with. ISAF fought hard from all sides during the last few hours of the Op.

Overall, I had an amazing weekend at Operation Crucible, the immersion and roleplay at Stirling Ops is second to none. You really feel as if you’ve been dropped into another time/place.

 Hardwick, K. (2016). Operation Crucible: The Trifecta. Airsoft Action. 67 (Nov), 32-35.






















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