MIDLANDS AIRSOFT FAIR 2018!

Every year (and usually twice a year) Ammo Drop hosts the Midlands Airsoft Fair at the Gaol Events in Oakham, an airsoft boot fair that where big retailers/brands can showcase/sell new products and airsoft booters sell/swap second hand gear as well as get a taster game of the site, a chance to run a 3 gun course and of course, the raffle in aid of the Pilgrim Bandits. Although the event usually runs twice a year, this year April is the only event in 2018 so we decided to get ourselves down and see the progress of one of the fastest growing Airsoft events held in the Midlands.


First off, let me give those of you who are unfamiliar with the Gaol a quick rundown: The Gaol Events is an intense CQB site that is housed in wings of the former men’s low security prison HM Prison Ashwell in Oakham, Rutland. Although majority of the Prison was redeveloped as part of the Oakham Enterprise Park in 2013, 3 of the former wings remain with cells intact for players to fight though along with large outdoor spaces including the 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 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.

When I arrived onsite at 10am (when doors opened) I was pretty flabbergasted by what I saw, every year I have attended there has been a queue for entry as the fair is always popular but I have never seen a queue as big as this years! The queue span from the doors and ALL the way through the prison gate at the end of the road which is amazing! It’s awesome to see so many players coming together to support local companies and local events. A ticket to the event, has gone up from previous years and will set you back £8 – this includes entry to the fair itself, a sausage or bacon cob, a run on the 3 gun course and a taster game within a section of the gaming area. Although the price has gone up, I still believe that it is a great price point for a day out with your friends, especially considering breakfast is included! The event runs from 10am until 3.30pm.

For April 2018’s fair we saw an increase in both airsoft booters and retailers, but we were missing some key brands from the previous years. Retailers/brands included: The Pilgrim Bandits – charity supporting injured servicemen and women to live a full life again (event’s chosen charity), Ammo Drop – retailers of airsoft guns and accessories, Staffordshire Militaria Supplies – airsoft, army Surplus and outdoor Clothing Supplies, Nuprol – suppliers of gas, tactical kit and airsoft rifles/pistols, ASG – worldwide manufacturer of realistic imitation firearms and BBs, Bomb-Up Airsoft – airsoft retailer based in the North of England, Leicester Airsoft – airsoft retailer based in Leicester, Dangerzone Customs – custom tactical kit manufacturers, Pine Tree – suppliers of MRE’s, High Pressure Airsoft – suppliers of HPA systems, Airsoft Direct – airsoft retailer based in Hull, Socom Tactical – airsoft retailer based in Fleet, Redwolf UK/VFC UK – showcasing the latest products from RWA and VFC, Just Paracord UK – makers of all things paracord, The Draft Club – Manufacturers and Suppliers of BBs, Valken – Suppliers of supplies for Airsoft and Paintball and Kydex Customs UK – manufacturers of Kydex holsters. As well as the huge amount of private sellers that lined the gaol walk ways, there really was something to appeal to everyone.








The private sellers make up a huge bulk of the retailers onsite and they are in almost every nook and cranny of the Gaol’s any hallways. Pitches vary from small pitches to large depending on how much kit you have to shift. When talking to some of the private sellers, at not even 10.30am they had already made a fair amount of sales – which instantly made me regret not booking my own pitch in time! Haha. It’s great that the fair also has booters alongside the big brands and retailers because it adds something different to the event, and as the old saying goes ‘one person’s trash is another’s treasure’ Depending on my schedule next year I am hoping to run my own stall to shift some of the kit I’ve hoarded over the last few years, and I’ll be reporting from the position of a seller which will be an interesting read for those of you who would consider having a stall yourselves!

There are 3 taster games ran during the day in one of the enclosed prison wings which are perfect to give players who haven’t yet played the Gaol, and of course those who are considering joining the sport the opportunity to sample the site before booking onto a gameday. For those of us who have already played, it’s a great half an hour shoot. The 3 gun course is also another element to the day that appeals those who are interested in AISPC. Although you can run the course with your own weapons, it is a practical shooting course set-up in one of the prison wings that has card and metal targets to hit whilst being timed by the onsite staff.

This year, something new was added to the agenda – an auction to raise money for the Pilgrim Bandits! Punters at the fair bid on the following with all the money going to the veterans charity:  a Polarstar Jack that sold for £160.00, Wolverine £170.00, a full HPA Tank set-up including line and regulator sold for £120, an ASG Storm 360 grenade that went for £60 and a Tokyo Marui KSG Shotgun that sold for £330!


Every event, the fair hosts a raffle that is always one of the key events and this year the prizes were bigger and better than ever, donated by various companies and brands: Tokyo Marui 416, King Arms M4, Valken Battle Machine, Nuprol EU17 Pistol, Viper Belt set up, Viper Spec Ops chest rig, 2 X DZ Tactical mag carrier, Pine Tree MRE collection & a 12 month Ai subscription, Airsoft Innovations XL Burst, another Airsoft innovations bundle, Kydex Holster and £30 of Patches.


Overall, the Midlands Airsoft Fair 2018 was a resounding success! I had a great time catching up with friends and meeting followers. I think the fair gives airsofters a great opportunity to sell/swap kit and also purchase new goods from the retailers onsite. It was amazing to see such an increase in footfall at this event – airsofters supporting their local businesses and brands is super important for our industry and economy. The admission price to the event is reasonable – even more so when you consider that the cost of breakfast and the raffle tickets are included (those who won prizes such as the TM 416 are laughing!). I am a little sad that this is the last event for 2018, but I cannot wait to see the next instalment of the Midlands Airsoft Fair in 2019. The total amount raised for The Pilgrim Bandits (who also happen to be Airsoft Action’s chosen charity) and Prostate Cancer UK was just over £800 which is a great amount and will go towards both helping injured service men and women live a full life again and in the fight against Prostate Cancer which is the third biggest cancer killer in the UK. It’s amazing to see the community come together to support such worthy causes!... 

Hardwick, K. (2018). Midlands Airsoft Fair. Airsoft Action. 90 (August), 28-29.
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OLIGHT M20SX JAVELOT KIT!

Hey everyone!

Like many of you, I’m always on the look-out for new kit to up my gameplay and I’ve recently discovered a brand of tactical lights that give you ALL the lumens for a reasonable price. The brand is Olight, and today I’ll be giving you the lowdown on their M20SX JAVELOT kit. The M20SX JAVELOT from Olight is a new generation of the popular two-tail-switch tactical flashlight that we’ve seen become popular in airsoft over the last few years. This model from Olight has an aircraft-grade aluminium body with anti-scratch type III hard anodizing and it is powered by either 2 x CR123A or 1 x 18650 battery (which aren’t included).


Although it is available on its own, the M20SX JAVELOT kit comes with a load of tactical accessories including a magnetic weapon mount, blue/red/green filters, and a remote pressure switch.

So what are the key features? Well, it has three brightness settings from 25 to an absolutely whopping 820 lumens, and it even features a strobe mode! The customised CREE LED has a smooth reflector to create a tightly-focused beam that can reach up to 370M. The multi-function click tail switch has momentary activation and on/off making it easy to use in game, and it has quick access direct to the brightest level and strobe mode. It has a side switch to select modes, and what is really cool is the memory function that can be used to remember the last power setting used meaning you can set your torch up for game days and simply load the last setting saving you the hassle of doing it again. It even has reverse polarity protection to prevent improper battery installation (we’ve all seen folk put their batteries in the wrong way) and thermal management to avoid overheating.



So how does it work? The torch itself has a good weight to it and feels sturdy in the hand. It is easy to set-up, although, I used the Olight offset mount rather than the magnetic mount as it worked with my M4 platform more seamlessly. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to use the strobe setting during a game but this torch really is bright AF, and on the brightest setting, the beam does momentarily disorientate opposing players meaning you can get a pretty good drop on them. I really like the pressure pad that’s included as it makes it much more usable during quick engagements in game. The switch tail wire is a little long but can be fed around the mount keeping it out of the way and tidy.



From the Olight UK store the M20SX JAVELOT kit is £129.95 however, over the weekend of (tomorrow) July 27th – July 31st 2018 Olight is having a huge sale and offering 20% off the kit, and a free l3E keyring torch! There’s also free shipping over £30 for customers in the UK.  With the upcoming sale the Javelot kit is really good value for money especially considering the lumens output!

Photography thanks to Henry Nicholson


This post contains affiliate links if you choose to purchase using my link Olight World may compensate me for your referral.
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VIPER 'SCROTE' POUCH

Back in 2016, Ferro Concepts released their tactical solution to the ‘bumbag’ (to us Brits or the ‘fanny pack’ to our American cousins) – The DANGLER pouch which took the airsoft community by storm, but at £42.50 a pop and with limited availability due to popularity they were hard to come by. To combat this, multiple companies including TMC and Warrior Assault Systems created their own versions of the much loved pouches and now Viper Tactical have also joined the running with their own affordable ‘SCROTE’ pouch!


It is a tactical fanny-pack pouch Velcro attachment for plate carriers and chest rigs that has webbing straps on each side and a Velcro ID panel on the front for all of your favourite patches! As well as looking good it’s also super utilitarian - inside the pouch it has elasticated internal loop holders and a Velcro front internal pouch to keep all your bits and bobs safe during gameplay. I use mine to store my .209 primers and impact grenade accessories during games so they are easy to reach in a hurry. It has a Viper firm draw zip puller to give the user more grip whilst unzipping/zipping the pouch closed especially when wearing gloves or when your hands are wet/cold. 

Unlike the Ferro DANGLER, the SCROTE has a panel of Velcro on the back of the pouch as well which helps keep the Velcro tab tidy when the pouch is in storage and it means the pouch is a little more versatile and is able to be used as a loop belt attachment rather than a drop pouch. Whilst it is being used as a drop pouch however it does offer some protection for your lower stomach if like me you wear JPCs and other small plate carriers.

Admittedly one of my favourite things about the SCROTE pouch is the name, it’s a tongue-in-cheek nod to the pouches protective properties.


It is available in a great range of colours including: VCam, black, green, coyote and titanium so there is a colour to suit most loadouts. It is stocked at most Viper retailers in the UK and the best part? It retails for around £11! This is fantastic news for those who want the look of Gucci kit on a budget or have multiple loadouts to fill with pouches.

Overall, I think Viper have done a great job with the SCROTE pouch: it is affordable – giving more players access to that Gucci kit look, has a great look, is a useful addition to any loadout because of its utilitarian qualities and of course the added protection it offers the end user. It is a great addition to their 2018 catalogue and is really in tune with what the players want – well done Viper!

Hardwick, K. (2018). VIPER 'SCROTE' POUCH. Airsoft Action. 90 (August), 69.
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RANGER GREEN LOADOUT! CRYE PRECISION! LBX TACTICAL!

Hey everyone!

Welcome back to the blog! Today I have another loadout post for you - I'll be giving you guys and gals the ins and outs of my ranger green loadout that I've been absolutely LOVING lately!

First up let's go through what I'm wearing to protect my head and face - to keep my ears safe from BBs shots and of course loud pyro I'm wearing the Z-Tactical Comtac IIs (these also help amplify quiet noises), on my head I'm wearing the 5.11 2017 Range Cap from IWA 2017, my trusty Wiley X Saber Shooting Glasses to protect my eyes (here I'm wearing the tinted lenses as it was super sunny on site!) and to keep my teeth safe I'm running the One Tigris Women's 4.5 inch Face Mask!


Next, let's chat about the base of this loadout - my BDU's! For this loadout, I am wearing the Crye Precision G2 Combat Shirt and Crye Precision G2 Combat Pant. The Gen 2 are no longer in production in Ranger Green and have been replaced with the G3 Combat Shirt and G3 Combat Pants - the only difference between the two is that the G3 are all one block colour and the Crye Precision tag is a different design and in a different location. I have them both in the smallest size available at the time of purchase and the fit of the combat shirt is excellent, it is fitted without being too tight. The combat fit is a little big around the waist (the smallest size in stock was 32 in the trousers and my waist is a 29) but the rest of the pant fits well.


The plate carrier I run with this loadout is the LBX Tactical 0300S in MAS grey with the Triple HSGI Taco Modular Panel in ranger green. It's a small modular plate carrier which is perfect for women and players with a smaller build. Check out my full review here.


For this loadout, I am also rocking my lightweight and low drag olive drab shooters belt set-up (which can't be seen in the pictures). You can check out what's in my set-up here.

To protect my hands from BB hits, scuffs and scraps whilst in the game zone I run the PIG FDT Delta Utility Glove from Tactical Kit! What I love about these gloves is that they are the only pair that I've found that truly fit my tiny hands. You can check out my full review of them here.


Keep your eyes peeled for my next loadout post! My Ghost Recon Wildlands Character inspired red flannel/ranger green loadout coming next week!

Photography thanks to Liam Sibley.

This post contains affiliate links, as I am a member of the Amazon Associates Program - an affiliate advertising program that provides a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com to products I have used, tested, trust and recommend.
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SPECNA ARMS SA-G11 FROM GUNFIRE.PL

Hey everyone!

So I’ve partnered up with the awesome team at Gunfire.pl over the next few months to bring you some reviews on the new Specna Arms line of replicas and today we’re starting with the SA-G11 Keymod EBB Carbine!


The SA-G11 is a new keymod variant from the G36 family by Specna Arms. Like most of the SA replicas, the main body is built from a high-quality polymer for affordability and durability. This model also features a full metal keymod rail system and an electric blowback system. The SA-G11 has all the standard features you would expect to find on a G36 rifle such as iron sights and the folding stock etc. What makes this different is the Electric Blow Back, micro switch trigger, steel gears, piston with a metal rack and the quick change spring system - although Gunfire.pl do offer a downgrade service on their website, if you fancy doing it yourself it’s really easy - just fold the stock, take out the pin, unscrew a screw and then the main spring guide can be taken out with a twist of a screwdriver.



The full metal keymod rail system features full Keymod attachment points on both sides of the rail and standard Picatinny rails on the top and bottom. As it has a folding stock the battery is housed on the front rail system - my only issues with this are: that the pin to open the compartment can be a little difficult and there isn’t huge amounts of space for the battery until you get the knack for using the RIF at least. Speaking of batteries, the gearbox is LiPo battery ready – which makes finding a battery to fit even easier!


Now, I’ve never owned a G36 rifle – mostly because in my opinion they’re usually pretty ugly so as you can imagine I was a little apprehensive about this review but, the keymod rail system on this Specna Arms model really gives it a modern feel which I love. Thanks to the solid construction the whole rifle feels really sturdy which is great. I was also actually really pleasantly surprised with the electronic blowback system! It has a kick that I didn’t quite expect and admittedly when I slapped it onto full auto I was grinning from ear to ear – it is a really fun gun to use! Although I’m not a huge fan of G36 rifles, I would definitely run this in a future game. The rotary style hop-up is super easy to adjust and once all setup is does shoot in consistent groupings.

I’d recommend downgrading the spring, as the original paperwork in the box says the FPS at source was around 380 which is far too high for our sites in the UK but the downgrade took mine to a very respectable 349 FPS (JUST on the limit). It is worth noting that in the box you get all the corresponding paperwork, a high cap G36 magazine and some pretty cool stickers! (we know how much airsofters LOVE stickers!)


Overall, I think that Specna Arms has done a pretty stellar job of the SA-G11, and certainly made the G36 something I would actually want to use. It’s sturdy, consistent and is affordable.
The full Specna Arms range of AEGs can be found here on the Gunfire.pl website.

Post sponsored by Gunfire.pl


Photography thanks to Liam Sibley
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THE BEST AIRSOFT AEG MAGAZINES? PTS SYNDICATE ENHANCED POLYMER MAGS REVIEW!

Hey everyone! 
Over the last few months you have seen me swap my usual brand of AEG magazines for the PTS EPMs and after running them for a fair few game days, here are my thoughts on them:


The PTS EPMs (Enhanced Polymer Magazine) are mid-capacity 150 round magazines for AEG airsoft guns that are constructed of a tough polymer designed to be made for performance and reliability. As well as being great to look at, they are super functional. They have an external Dupont Zytel Polymer shell for durability and longevity. They feature recessed panels on both sides that give the shooter a better grip on the mag, and the unique magazine well guides help reduce them getting caught when being drawn or inserted into pouches.


One of my favourite features of the EPMs is the bullet window that has fake 556 rounds! Although it looks great, it still has a purpose. When the magazine is fully loaded, the orange follower at the base of the window can be seen – this means as soon as you pick up the EPM you’ll know if the mag is filled and good to go and it also acts a visual indicator for the user to know when to stop loading. There is a cool mod you can do to the mag which involves taking out the fake shells leaving the BBs visible, so you know how many BBs you have left in the mag before needing to change mag or reload – this would be super handy during a battlesim or milsim when there are ammo and rate of fire limits in play.


The base plate is also another pretty cool feature. The bottom of the base plate has an angled surface and a rubber over-mould on the lower face - this combined allows the shooter to rest the gun on any flat shooting platform and have more surface contact for better traction and greater stability. Although it has an angled surface it is still functional and comfortable in the hand when drawn from pouches and does not inhibit the closure on closed top magazine pouches. The baseplate also has a ribbed ledge which can aid the user in removing mags from pouches.

So how do they perform? I always thought that PTS mags may have been a little over-hyped, after all, nothing can be THAT good right? Well turns out, I was wrong. Even after been dropped from height, thrown across sites, used and abused they are still going strong despite a few scuffs and scratches. I have used them in my G&Gs, Specna Arms, Ares Amoeba, Krytac and Valken AEGs and they’ve performed flawlessly.

What do they retail for? They are available here from PTS Syndicate website for $19.99 in both dark earth and black but can take up to 10 days with international shipping. If you’re in the UK, PTS dealers such as Land Warrior have them available for £22.99 and Patrol Base for £19.99.



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WARZONE: THE FINAL ASSAULT!

What happens when you take two British airsofters of different ages and playing styles and send them to Crete for a major game? Bill and Kelly draw their series on "Warzone 2018 - The Final Assault" to a close with their report on what turned out to be a most remarkable and unique game!


Bill: I've been looking forward to Warzone 6 for many, many reasons, some personal and some professional. Due to surgery last year I've been finding it hard to get back up to full speed in terms of my game, and the thought of travelling to Crete to take part in a three-day event both excited and terrified me; would I be fit enough, and could I hack the pace? Our preparation had been thorough in all respects, so in my mind the only potential "weak link" was me...

You can imagine therefore that it was with very mixed emotions that I met up with my mate Kelly to head to the airport. Kelly and I have been friends for some considerable time now and I have really seen her grow into a great airsoft journalist, but at the point of meeting to fly to Crete we'd actually never played a game together! Such is the life of an Airsoft Action contributor as we are rarely at the same place due to covering different games and events the length and breadth of the UK!

After a memorably entertaining flight though we arrived safely at Chania airport where we had arranged to be met by Stelios, the main man when it comes to all things "Warzone"; Stelios had kindly offered to put us up at his own apartment for the days immediately before and after the game and we had all already become mates over messenger and emails before we arrived. The run from the airport in the dark revealed little to us of Crete other than after the sun went down away from the coastal strip things got dark... VERY dark!


Now one thing I will tell you straight away is that if you are ever thinking of heading to Crete for Warzone then you will get an absolutely superb reception! For our entire stay nothing was too much trouble for our hosts and we were made to feel like family from the get-go, even to the point that Stelios handed us the keys to one of their vehicles, an elderly yet sprightly camo-painted Pajero, and told us that it was ours for the duration of our time on the island; Kelly and I promptly named it "The Battlewagon"!


The next day was spent meeting more of the Warzone team and setting ourselves up, sorting food and water, and generally getting our kit ready. NUPROL had very kindly shipped our E&L AKs and RAVEN pistols and these duly arrived in good order; of course, Stelios knowing the local UPS driver helped just a little with a super-timely delivery! After another pleasant evening where we were introduced to seasoned Warzone player Nikolas (who would be with us on the UN Team for the game and became known to us fondly as "Baggy") it was time to head to the site. Due to the guys leaving super-early to set up we piled our kit into "The Battlewagon" and set off for the famous Arkadi Monastery, a great landmark situated right next to the site. Arriving after a somewhat hairy drive on some Cretan "local" roads we made it and proceeded to chrono and check in; all the procedures to do with Warzone are absolutely nailed, so there's no stress at any point.


GAME ON!

From the registration point we then set off into the unknown again, making our way to the "UN Compound" which the team themselves were busy creating; yup, you heard that right, the team themselves got the materials and tools delivered by the organisers but then it was up to them how they created their FOB and perimeter. I really liked this aspect as it puts the onus on the players to create their own operating base... no blaming the organisers if it turned out to be wrong! This was also the first of many aspects of the game that I found quite unique, but I soon learned that in Crete the players take responsibility for their own actions and inactions which makes a thoroughly refreshing change!


I would say that one challenging part of being a Brit at Warzone is that all the briefings are delivered in Greek! As much as that sounds daunting Nikolas and a new friend Thomai were on hand to help us with translation, and they stayed with us all weekend and were always happy to tell us what was happening, so my thanks go to them very sincerely. Thomai's team-mate Manousos also turned out to be a real star as like me he is certainly an adherent to the "Six P's" and had everything from snacks, sweets, cakes and coffees 100% squared away. He and I spent a lot of time talking over the weekend, and he definitely comes under the heading of "a top bloke".


The UN team leader, a serving Army officer, turned out to be quite a character too, and was magnanimous in all things, even when Kelly christened him "Space Commander General"! Briefings and taskings were clear and to the point. Our role as "UN" was to mix things up a bit, making alliances with the other factions. OCTAPUS, under the command of General Kora, managed to control key positions of the Government, whilst former members of the government army, the Guard Regiment Command or GRC, objected to the new regime and repeatedly attempted to overthrow it. Into the mix came a team of US Army Rangers who were to exploit the situation and work with whoever looked like the new rulers of the fictional island of Atlantis. There were also spies amongst the teams and a rarely-seen Spetsnaz detachment who were keeping a beady eye of the Yanks! The mix of teams is a clever one as if you want a full-on "Hardcore MilSim" experience then you can certainly get it, but if you just fancy a great game with an immersive "BattleSim" style scenario this is on offer too, and the balance is perfect!


Kelly: Over my last 4 years in airsoft, I have played every event imaginable, from hectic Speedsoft to Battlesims and even physically/mentally demanding MilSims but I have yet to play a game that caters to multiple types of game styles in one event. This is exactly what WarZone is! As Bill has already covered the nitty gritty of the event, I’m going to take you through my favourite engagements from the weekend and also what I have taken away from this game.

Over the course of the weekend, we had some fierce engagements and firefights but Saturday for me was the day when everything really kicked off! As Friday was quite focused on the roleplay side of the UN forces, working out alliances and such, the action really started when the GRC attacked the UN camp Saturday morning. I had been out taking photographs for this report during the early hours and was just having a sit-down and replenishing fluid when all hell broke loose at the entrance to the camp with the shouts of ‘GRC! GRC! GRC! UN Medic!’ I quickly grabbed my chest rig and slung it on, picked up my rifle and headed out of the tent and towards the fire. On my way to the entrance to the camp, one of my UN brothers handed me a grenade, a water balloon for destroying vehicles. As I reached the front gate I took a quick peek around the camp wall to see where their armoured vehicle with the gun turret that was pinning down our troops in the woods was located, I threw the grenade as hard as I could and it hit the driver’s door destroying the vehicle (and splashing the driver in the face!). As they exited the vehicle I moved forward towards the vehicle and took out their driver and the two riflemen supporting the vehicle thwarting their attempt at taking the United Nations camp; I got our injured forces back in the game and we made plans to bump the GRC. It was seriously epic and left me in a feel-good mood.



Saturday afternoon, at 5pm we had a mission to assist the Octapus side from an attack at the Ranger Base south of the GRC. After we received our mission briefing, our forces loaded up into the three vehicles and off we went. As we drove into the entrance, there were bodies strewn about everywhere from where the GRC had come through with an absolute vengeance. Our vehicles rushed in, our troops dismounted and spread out through the woods. Our machine guns started to fire on the advancing GRC forces with our riflemen supporting them, as we got closer to the GRC our troops began taking heavy casualties with screams of ‘UN Medic! UN Medic! UN Medic!’ and as I was the only live medic on the field it was my job to get everyone back in the game. As I ran from our support vehicles to the ground troops in the field, we got our troops back into the fight and continued taking ground from the GRC. As we moved in on their location, Bill our machine gunner on “top cover” was taken out by enemy fire so I jumped into his place to start laying down the plastic and giving the UN forces covering fire in order to advance. My firefight ended with the vehicle I was on being hit by a mortar round.

After a day of excitement, Saturday night came with a lull, for the most part, it was too quiet as night fell. I sat in one of our support vehicles on STAG for a good few hours, just watching the night roll in and keeping an eye on the borders of the UN camp. As the moon reached its highest points, cracking sounds came from the woods and lasers started to appear from the trees. It was only a matter of minutes before what seemed like all of the GRC and Octapus forces had come to roll us in the night. Our support vehicles started laying down fire onto the roads leading to the camp as anti-vehicle weapons started appearing from behind the walls. GRC breached our camp walls with a ladder and all hell broke loose inside the camp with ‘UN Medic!’ being called and red dead lights flickering on, I jumped out of the car to support those inside the camp until I found myself walking through the back door. As I walked through the pitch black woods I heard something breathing next to me in the darkness. I whispered ‘UN?’ and in reply I heard ‘No, Octapus’ and in the panic I knife killed the player but got immediately slotted by his mate afterwards. A good end to a fierce day of battle.

Bill: Sunday morning dawned even brighter and clearer than the previous day; it was looking like a HOT one, and indeed the temperature climbed inexorably towards the 30's! Again luckily, at this point we were given "guns free" and could take the fight to the enemy rather than simply waiting to see if they would engage us, governed as we were by strict ROE. This was probably my favourite part of the game as I like a good scrap as much as anyone, and of course in the woods it was a few degrees cooler too!


As the game wound down final alliances were made, and the "Final Assault" on the village began, with GRC entrenched with the Rangers, and Octapus and the UN trying to remove them! I decided to view this alongside Stelios, and what I witnessed was some absolutely SUPERB airsoft, quite literally as good as I've seen anywhere! All the teams pushed and pushed back, and as "GAME" was called everyone had given their all!

Kelly: My trip to Crete was definitely a trip of firsts, from my first time driving in Europe, to the first time riding on the back of a motorbike, trying new foods and even having a go at preparing Shisha, it was only right that I tried an entirely new role during gameplay! As I was the smallest and quickest member of my squad, I was chosen as the Medic. This is a role I’m not used to playing; I prefer to be at the front of the action rather than hanging back, and what I learned from playing this role is: I definitely need to do more cardio and a medic should never be the charger because if you get shot first your squad is pretty f*cked unless there is another medic nearby. It was definitely an interesting learning curve to play this role (and not to mention exhausting during the big battles) but I don’t think it’ll be a role I’d necessarily jump at in future games.

Overall, I had an amazing weekend at Warzone 6! Although I’ve been told that this really IS the Final Assault and they have indeed gone out with a bang, I’m really hoping that Stelios and the team will run another event in the future so we can go on another Cretan adventure! I just want to take the time to thank our host Stelios for his hospitality during our stay, the War Zone team for running such a fantastic event, our translators Nikolas and Thomai for helping the two Brits throughout the weekend and of course the players on all sides for being so welcoming, generous and hospitable – this definitely won’t be the last time we visit the beautiful island of Crete.


Bill: Now I've used the word "unique" in this report, and Warzone certainly is "one of a kind" and all the better for it. Safety glasses go on as soon as you enter the site, and they stay on for the duration as you are "guns hot" ALL the time, even in your compound; this is rigorously enforced. In terms of hit taking (and "HIT" is pronounced "EXO" in Greek in case you're interested!)  you are issued with an orange vest and a flashing red band at registration so when you are hit you can indicate it very clearly indeed, both during the day and at night. You are also issued with a numbered armband, and if you transgress in any way your opponent will simply ask for your number with no shouting and screaming. Now I will admit that at one point I was asked for my number and I was absolutely mortified! Luckily as I discovered later this was just for something insignificant, but at the time I was truly disappointed that I thought I'd let the side down; believe me, this is a far, FAR better way of dealing with incidents than shouting and screaming, as yet again it puts the responsibility back on you, the player.


And to me this was the thoroughly unique part of Warzone; in their brief the Rethimno Airsoft Association (R.A Action) states clearly that you should "play airsoft in such way so to please (your) opponents!!!” and this is a tenet that they live by, doing their utmost to ensure that all the players have a superb game. Rather than being totally fixated on who "wins" both the organisers and players are genuinely more interested in having a super-solid event played with total honesty, honour, and integrity; they want everyone to play as hard as possible, to enjoy the event, and to come away with a smile. I will tell you that after attending Warzone 2018 I will be smiling for a very, very long time, and as for Warzone 2019 I look forward greatly to visiting my new-made friends again and attending another awesome airsoft event run "Cretan Style!"


Our sincere thanks go to Stelios, the rest of the Warzone team and all at the Rethimno Airsoft Association, to Nikolas, Thomai, Manousos and all our UN team-mates, to NUPROL, Snugpak, Helikon-Tex, and Military1st, and also to every single player that attended; to you all Kelly and I say "Thank You, and Yamas!"

Hardwick, K & Thomas, B. (2018). Warzone: The Final Assault!. Airsoft Action. 89 (July), 24-29.
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