If you've sunk hundreds or, potentially thousands into your primary build, what case would you trust its safety with travelling to and from games? In this review, we’re going to be looking at the new Rebel Precision Large Hard Case, which I’ve been using since March 2026. They boast 40% denser materials than one of the UK's biggest-selling cases but how do they stack up after some use? Let’s chat.
Exterior-wise the Rebel Precision hard cases have everything you need: a sturdy handle, 4 heavy duty snap-closing clips, padlock ready points to keep your RIF locked up, a pressure valve, integrated wheels and an extra-wide case lip for structural integrity and added corner protection.
It's flight ready - fully IP67, RoHS, and CE rated, with an automatic pressure valve for air travel,. It’s got anti-moisture and anti-shock protection too, so whether it's a bumpy drive to an airsoft site (IYKYK) or a flight abroad, your rifle should come out the other end clean, dry, and ready to go.
As for the interior, you get the choice of Pick N Pluck or if you select Wave/Egg-Crate you also an underlay of Pick N Pluck. The PNP means that you can pull out pre-scored squares to build a form-fitting cradle around your specific setup - this does mean it is a dedicated hard case for that build which is important to consider if you have more than one set-up and Egg-Crate or Wave which is a high-compression foam that grips whatever you put in it. This is ideal if you're constantly swapping between different replicas. (Important to note that the PNP, ONLY comes with PNP!)
The Large Case has an internal space of 1040mm x 352mm x 130mm that can fit one standard M4/AR-15 carbine (e.g. 10.5" or 14.5" barrel) with optics, vertical grip, and 3-4 magazines, or an AK-74U or AK-105 with the stock folded, or one primary rifle and one sidearm side by side.
My first impressions were good. Everything about the case is chunky asf so they feel sturdy and dense. The clips feel hard wearing and snap close with a satisfying clunk and without any weight in the case the handle is comfortable. I went for the Egg-Crate/Wave foam option to get the best of both worlds as I tend to swap my primary out a fair bit. Loading it up, it comfortably fit my Wolverine 10.5” MTW Billet Series Unleashed, my Glock 42 in it’s Kydex CC holster, my RWA EXA RONIN and 3 Amarok M4 mags. Without anything in, the case is pretty weighty anyway because of how dense it is, and considerably heavier loaded up - which is where the wheels come in. The integrated wheels offer a smooth roll making transporting the case when it’s loaded up a none issue.
To prove the strength of the reinforced polymer shell, Rebel Precision drove a Land Rover Defender directly over the case, and it took the full weight of the vehicle without a single crack or seal failure - that’s the kind of stress test I can get behind, and I haven’t been able to top this.
There’s nothing I dislike about the case - it does exactly what it says it does and everything worked as intended. I’d love to see it in alternative colours but black is a classic. I think if you’re looking for a case packed with features that will keep your replica safe, whether it’s a starter AEG or something fancier like an MTW, this does the job and is priced reasonably.
From BZ Tactical, it retails for £79.99 and you can use my discount code FF5 for 5% off (not an aff, just saving you money!)
Welcome back to the blog! Today, I have a first impressions review on the G&G SMC9 from Extreme Airsoft for you - unfortunately, because I’m not playing at the minute thanks to a national lockdown in England I haven’t had chance to run this for a game day yet but I’ve had a play around with it on the Attack Sense Target system so I feel like I can give you my first impressions of this pistol carbine kit from G&G Armament.
The G&G SMC9 is a pistol carbine kit that is unlike what we’ve seen in the past. If you’ve used a pistol carbine kit, you’ll know that they are usually a clamshell sort of design (where the kit wraps around a complete pistol) but what makes the SMC9 kit different is that G&G has engineered this kit to be the entire top slide of a pistol. It has all the working parts of a pistol slide and all you have to do is insert the lower of a GTP9 pistol and you’re good to go. You can purchase the kit with or without the GTP9 lower.
It features a 7'' MLOK handguard with a full-length top rail for attachments (including the flip-up iron sights that are included in the box), a 14mm CCW thread on the outer barrel (so you can attach accessories such as tracer units and mock suppressors), ambidextrous magazine and slide release, an ambidextrous charging handle, the ejection cover can be switched to either side, a locking side folding stock and it has sling mounts on both sides (making it truly compatible with both left and right-handed shooters).
It also has the full features of GTP9 frame including textured grips and interchangeable backstraps which also house the hop adjuster, two-stage trigger safety and the frame splits from the lower with no tools necessary which makes it easy to maintain and to break down.
In the box, you get the SMC9 carbine kit, the GTP9 frame, a 50 round mag, a pistol speed loader and a cleaning rod. It comes split, but the kit is easy to put together thanks to the kits slide design.
So how is it to use? I used the SMC9 with Nuprol Red Gas on a chilly day in December and it chrono’d at a respectable 340 FPS (on average) which means it can be used at most sites in the UK - there was an issue with the first batch of these that entered the UK being too hot (they were made for the American market) but since that batch, they have been fine. It’s really lightweight and compact which means it is easy to manoeuvre. It is simple to use - simply fill the mag with BBs and gas, insert the mag, take the safety off, pull the charging handle back, release and off you go. It comes with an extended 50 round mag (but does also take the regular GTP9 mags) so it can hold a fair amount of ammo. This was perfect for target shooting but I think you would definitely need a mag or two if you were using the SMC9 in a CQB game. The range on the SMC9 is good but is definitely more suited to CQB than long-distance shooting.
What about aesthetics? I think the SMC9 looks fantastic, the MLOK rail and folding stock give it a futuristic look which I personally really like. The compensator/flash hider is also a nice addition to the look. The GTP9 grip is stippled on the sides so this not only gives added grip but also looks the part too. I think G&G have smashed it out of the park with the look of this carbine kit. I’m not a huge fan on how the kit looks when the stock is folded and locked in place.
The kit including the GTP9 lower is the retails for £247.99 and the kit without the GT9 lower is £199.99 from Extreme Airsoft. It’s available as is or two-tone if you don’t yet have a defence. At £247.99 it is more expensive than the clamshell carbine kits we are used to seeing but I think given the innovative design of the kit, the price is somewhat justified, however, I would love to see it at a cheaper price point because it is expensive. Cool AF, but still expensive. Use code 'femmefatale' for 5% off to soften the blow.
Welcome back to the blog! Today I have another player spotlight for you, and this time we'll be learning more about @polishairsoftgirl, Magda! I first became aware of Magda in 2017 when my friends at Gunfire.com sent me an email about one of their friends moving from Poland to the UK, unfortunately, because I and Magda live so far apart we didn't get the chance to play together until 2018 at DFE: BFLAR. Since then we have played together at multiple events around the UK! Introducing @polishairsoftgirl:
Hi Magda, thank you for taking part in the player spotlights! Can you tell us how long you have been playing Airsoft and what originally got you into it?
I’ve been playing airsoft for 7.5 years thanks to my little brother who has done research and bought his first airsoft gun. Straight away I decided to get one for me as well so we could start playing 1vs1 😄
What’s your playing style?
I’m the type of player that you are gonna see entering the game zone first and leaving last. It’s never enough for me! 😄
Are you a woodland player? CQB fan? Or do you like to mix it up?
I’m definitely a woodland player. I don’t mind elements of CQB but I prefer sneaking around in the woods 😄
What can we see you running on the field?
At the moment my favourite primary guns are my Krytac Trident MKII CRB and Specna Arms RRA SA-E03 Edge series. My secondary is my lovely Glock 18C from Tokyo Marui.
My most used camouflage at the moment is M81 but very soon I’m gonna come back to my Polish wz2010 😉 Most of my gear like belts and plate carriers and other pieces of equipment are mainly made in Poland 😄🇵🇱
What’s your most memorable event?
It’s a very difficult question because I’ve been to so many events in last 7 years but definitely, I remember my first time ever in the USA at Desert Fox Airsoft Event's Battle for Lost Angeles 2. I very much enjoy role-play events in a climate of a post-apocalyptic world. I’ve been on a few very good ones in Poland (S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Nysa). My first Mission of Afghanistan event in 2015 was definitely something that I will always remember (it’s well-known role play event in Poland). “Fedrunek v2” (Silesia Poland) was my first 24 hours game, it was a big challenge but I loved it ❤️
Is there any advice you can give to other players out there?
Airsoft is an amazing hobby that will keep you active and will give you an opportunity to meet many friends! It’s like a video game in real life!
I have another review for you, as most of you will know from reading the recent posts on the blog I've teamed up with Military 1st to bring you guys a short series of affordable plate carrier set ups for both tan and green team uniforms and today we are going to look at/review the base plate carrier for the second build in the series, the Flyye Industries Fast Attack Plate Carrier in olive drab!
The Fast Attack Plate Carrier from Flyye Industries is a lightweight plate carrier that is designed to offer the operator great mobility and also a good level of load carrying capacity. Although it looks like a pretty simple PC, it has a bunch of great features - the most notable of which being that both the front and back of the plate carrier are completely covered from top to bottom with MOLLE webbing straps for attaching a whole range of MOLLE pouches, panels and packs. It also has strips of Velcro along the lower half of the front of the carrier which could be used to attach Velcro pouch panels. As you can see from the images, there is SO much carrying space on the plate carrier, which is pretty awesome.
As the name suggests, the plate carrier is all about getting the job done quickly and efficiently - along with the Velcro strips for quick pouch panel attachments, the adjustable padded shoulder straps and quick release buckles allow for quick adjustments and modifications to size. There is also 1/4" thick closed cell foam in both the shoulders and also in the upper torso parts to help alleviate load stress on the operators back and shoulders. One thing that has really impressed me with the Fast Attack Plate Carrier is just how lightweight it is! The Plate Carrier weighs in at just 850g including the soft armour plates. This would make it a great option as part of a MilSim, battlesim or a weekender game loadout. We all know the aches and pains that inevitably comes with wearing a plate carrier for extended periods of time, and having something that weighs so little as the basis of a loadout will help in minimising this.
The vest is made of durable Invista 1000D Cordura Nylon - which is much more resistant to the usual wear, tear and stresses of high movement activity such as airsoft than your standard Nylon. One of the big positives for this material is that it is also water resistant and that no water will retain on its surface - making it a good option for wet skirmish days and MilSims as the water won't pool on the surface, infiltrate the materials and get weighed down with extra weight.
It is available in a fair few colour/camo options - olive drab, black, coyote, and ranger green, MultiCam, ATACS FG and ATACS AU. As well as colour options it also comes in 2 sizes - medium which fits 10" x 12" plates and large which takes 11" x 14" plates. It is worth mentioning that the soft armour plates are included. I opted for the medium size and although I would normally wear a small and admittedly I did think it looked a little huge when I got it out of the packaging, it does adjust. Due to my small waist, I always fair better with plate carriers without cummerbunds in regards to fit! Fortunately this vest has nothing except the quick release buckles so it is definitely smaller than some of the other tactical vests that I have tried. The quick release buckles pull right in, enough for the plate carrier to not move around when I'm running, bending and moving around. I do however think, that for someone with a smaller frame than my own it might be a little loose around the body and move around during high energy activity. This is definitely a plate carrier suited to those who have a medium to larger frames.
As I'm using this carrier as the base for the green team uniform I chose the olive drab colour option, as there is a wider range of pouches available that will colour match perfectly.
What about price? The Flyye Fast Attack Plate Carrier in olive drab is available from the Military 1st website for £80.95. It is worth mentioning that the camo options are more expensive - retailing for £125.95 but this is understandable as camo pattern material is more expensive than block colours. Honestly, I think £81 for a plate carrier with plates but without pouches is really reasonable, especially one that is made to military specifications. It has a large carrying capacity and is lightweight enough to be used for both your regular Sunday skirmishes and longer games without being uncomfortable.
I'll be using this carrier as the base for the green tam affordable plate carrier set up which will be featured in a YouTube video on the Femme Fatale Airsoft YouTube channel and also broken down in a blog post so be sure to keep your eyes out for those, which will be uploaded/posted at the start of November!
So I’m back with another review, and this time it’s a
review for Gunfire.pl! Today we’re going to be looking at one of the new CORE™ AEGs from Specna Arms - the SA - C04. The CORE™ range of replicas have been designed to be tough,
lightweight and more affordable for both beginners and seasoned
airsoft players alike.
For the new CORE™ range, Specna Arms decided to use
more polymer in their construction to make them not only lighter but also more
affordable. So let’s breakdown what’s what! The receiver, stock slide, stock
and the pistol grip are all made from a super tough fiber-glass reinforced polymer.
Whilst the barrel, RIS handguard, flash hider, enlarged charging handle and
sling points are all made of metal. As well as other parts including the
screws, pins, shell ejection window and mock bolt carrier.
As for
aesthetics, it has a classic M4 look and features a 22 mm top RIS rail, a RIS handguard and
an adjustable stock with a textured butt pad. The top rail has a flip-up rear
sight and a fixed front sight. It has a
standard flash hider that has a 14
mm left-handed thread. The receiver also bears some pretty cool markings
and a serial number.
What about the
internals? The gearbox contains 8
mm slide bearings and shimmed steel gears. The system has four anti-reversal latches. It also features a piston made of
polycarbonate polymer that it is equipped with a full steel strip, a type 1 cylinder and a steel circuit-breaker and a precise rotary Hop-Up chamber which makes changing
the hopup really easy.The replica also
features the CORE™ quick change spring
system which enables you to quickly change the power of the gun by
swapping out the spring without any special tools – the spring can be changed
by removing the stock slide, and then using a long screw driver. Out of
the box, I chrono’d the replica at 378
FPS, which is around our legal limit and definitely higher than the 350 FPS
site limits but Specna Arms provide an M90 spring in the box, and installing this reduces the muzzle
velocity to around 310 FPS.
I rechrono’d at 308 FPS. It is fully compatible with LiPo and LiFe batteries,
one of which comes in the box so it’s ready to go.
How does it feel/perform
on the field? Well, it certainly feels sturdy and the build quality is solid.
It has a snappy fire selector and a good trigger response. On semi-auto it was
consistent and the range was good. Full auto was pretty fun, and it had a good
grouping.
In the box
you get: the SA Core replica, a 300 round high cap magazine,
RIS rail covers, tactical forward grip, an additional main spring, battery
& charger.
The whole package
retails for €133,25 which at the current exchange rate is around
£118.65. I’m really impressed with the price point of this model as it’s really
affordable, and great value especially considering the extras you get in the
box including the battery, charger and foregrip. It’s the complete package
which is especially handy for new players and not to mention tough. I am really pleasantly surprised with
this model in the Specna Arms CORE™
range.
The First Tactical Specialist Tactical Pants are
a durable pair of tactical trousers that are made specifically for the field,
whether that be the range, airsoft, outdoor activities and even first response
work. They are made from a double ripstop polyester/cotton blend fabric that
has a Teflon® Shield+ stain repellent finish to keep them looking fresh, this
combination gives the end user sturdiness and functionality. My favourite thing
about the First Tactical range of trousers is the feel of the fabric used – as
soon as you get them out of the packaging, it feels smooth, sturdy and tough.
In regards to the pants construction, First
Tactical always do a fab job. The running gusset construction gives the user
full motion ability, whilst the triple needle stitching at critical seams keeps
the pants going strong and together even after harsh use. The pants have double
layered knees for durability and internal knee pad access that can be used with
the First Tactical knee pads. The pants have a whole range of pockets including
two back pockets, two front pockets, two front slit pockets (for mobile phones
and magazines) and two organiser pockets (that can hold M4 magazines) with
laminated pocket flaps. The pocket flaps are laminated to make sure they stay
down and that the pants have a professional look even after being worn, they
fasten with hook & loop Velcro and can be tucked in for quick access
functionality.
The Specialist Tactical Pants are available in the
UK, in US sizes 2, all the way up to a size 20 in both a regular and tall leg –
it is worth noting that the sizes on their website are American sizes but they
do have a size chart for reference. I usually wear a UK 8 so opted for the US 4
with the regular leg. In regards to fit, the pants have the First Tactical
Advanced Women's Fit which is designed and constructed uniquely for a woman's
shape – it has contoured cut curves that give a better fit around the hips,
buttocks and upper leg to allow for optimal freedom of movement – they aren’t too
tight but give the movement you need for strenuous activity without being baggy.
As they are a women’s fit the waistband on the pants sits just above my hips
rather than on my waist unlike most tactical trousers – which is much comfier.
Overall, I’m really happy with the fit!
The pants are available in limited colours – navy,
black and khaki. This is my only complaint about them, that they aren’t
available in the same range of colours like the men’s trousers are. I would
absolutely LOVE a pair of these in Olive Drab Green!
As for price, the pants retail at £44.95.
Overall, I really like them – they are a sturdy,
durable and fitted alternative to traditional BDU trousers. They fit well and
are a reasonable price, but I would love to see them in more colours!
So I’m
back with another review! I’ve teamed up with Military 1st to bring
you guys a short series of affordable plate carrier set ups for both tan and
green team uniforms and first on my list we are going to look/review the base
carrier for my first build, the well-known Flyye Swift Plate Carrier in MultiCam.
The Flyye Swift Plate Carrier is an adjustable, lightweight and low profile plate
carrier that has a similar look and functionality to the JPC plate carriers
that have become really popular amongst airsofters.The
plate carrier has a number of built in features including an integrated top
admin pouch with a velcro closing and three elastic loops inside the pocket,
the admin pouch is suitable for pistol mags, pens, chemlights and tonnes of
other useful bits and bobs that you would need to carry on the field. It also has three
integrated magazine pouches with loop velcro surface inside, elastic internal
dividers and removable shock cords with pull tabs for retention which are
suitable for both M4 and M16 magazines. At the top of the plate carrier just
above the integrated mag pouches it has a loop Velcro panel for patches (so
patchwhores, Flyye have you covered!).
As for its construction, it is made
of genuine Crye Precision MultiCam Invista 1000D Cordura Nylon material making
it extremely durable and water resistant for wet game days. Its laser-cut
Hypalon shoulder straps are extremely durable and make for a closer and more
comfortable fit. The stitching and general construction of the carrier is top
quality. The carrier comes with two soft armour plates at the front and back
included, and the plate compartments have velcro-secured flaps and pull
tabs at the bottom making them easy to insert and remove. The plates are a
little stiff at first due to their newness, but this is to be expected - after
a few game days the plates become a little bit more malleable which means they
sit better on the contours of your body. It has rectangles of durable mesh at the
inside top of the plate for ventilation and added comfort – this helps prevent
the carrier getting too sweaty on game days. It has sturdy webbing throughout
its construction for modular attachments. As it is a JPC style plate carrier it
is super lightweight, weighing just over 1.2kg including the soft armour plates
that are included, because of this I feel like it would be a really good piece
of kit for a MilSim or a weekend event where you end up wearing your plate
carrier for an extended period of time.
One of my favourite features of the
Flyye Swift plate carrier is the cummerbund made of PALS webbing – the webbing is
designed to help improve ventilation and provide extra carrying space for
additional magazine pouches and radio pouches etc. I have found in the past
that plate carriers with the PALS style of cummerbund have fit my body better
than standard cummerbunds. It is easy to put on and adjust – simply pull the front
of the vest up to reveal the Velcro fastening, which can be adjusted either at
the front or via the cord on the back of the plate carrier. Due to the small
size and adjustability of the carrier, I think it would be a great gear option
for women and younger players. The only issue I had with its adjustability is
that the shoulder straps fit really snug in their cover so it was a little bit
of a mission to adjust them, especially with long nails!
I really like the simple aesthetics
of the carrier, it’s sleek, low-profile and the integrated mag pouches give it
a tidy look but because of the molle on the integrated mag pouches you can add
extra pouches to add usability and of course beef it up. For a lightweight
loadout I paired this with my cobra shooters belt – super effective and
lightweight.
What’s the
retail price? The Flyye Swift plate carrier is available from Military 1stfor £137.95 for the MultiCam option and it is available in a wide variety of
camouflage patterns - MultiCam, black, coyote, A-TACS FG, ranger green, AOR1
and AOR2. It is worth noting that the price is dependent on the camo, some of
the camo options are a little less expensive. It is available in sizes small,
and all the way up to an extra-large with room for adjustment on all sizes of
the carrier so the size range is really inclusive. In regards to price I would
say that the Swift Plate Carrier is in the mid-price range, it definitely isn’t
the cheapest plate carrier that you can get your hands on but as it’s made of
genuine Crye Precision MultiCam you do have the peace of mind that the material
it’s made of is durable and the construction is good quality meaning it will last
you a good while! In fact knowing airsofters, you’d probably want a new loadout
before you wear one of these out.
I’ll be
using this carrier as the base of an affordable to mid-priced plate carrier set
up which will be featured in a YouTube video on the Femme Fatale Airsoft
YouTube channel so be sure to keep your eyes out for those which will be
uploaded towards the end of the month!
So today I'm back with another review and this is one specifically for the ladies! When I was in the States I got the chance to test the PIG full dexterity tactical (FDT) Delta Utility glove which is a slip-on tactical glove, that is a hybrid of the most popular features from the past PIG models in a budget option that still gives the user a high-dexterity fit. I used these gloves for all of my airsoft games/MilSims whilst I was stateside and they fit SO well! Now I'm back in the UK I've purchased a pair for me to wear for my airsoft games back home and I thought I'd give you lovely lot the low down on them.
The gloves, although small and a seemingly ordinary pair of gloves boast a bunch of awesome features including: touchscreen compatible forefinger and thumb (perfect for those of us who are partial to a midgame selfie!), single-layer palm for tactile sensitivity, bar-tacked paracord pull loops and they even have a silicon printed grip on the palm for extra grip making them practical and usable for not only airsoft but for other outdoor activities. Although it may be obvious, what I love the most about these gloves is how they fit! I adore how dainty and ladylike they make my hands look! The fold-over finger construction and elastic wrist for quick put on and take off sequence not only make them more comfortable for the user but it also gives them a sleeker, more sophisticated look - nothing like the purpose made airsoft gloves we usually see on the field.They aren't padded or extra thick around the knuckles so getting shot in the hands whilst wearing these does still suck, but honestly? Finger shots are quite rare and I'd rather have the dexterity than bulky protection.
They're easy to put on, quick drying after they've gotten wet and the touchscreen compatible finger and thumb is super useful! Overall, I'm super impressed with them.
The PIG FDT Delta Utility Gloves are available in black, coyote, ranger green & carbon grey and are also available in sizes ranging from a small to an extra extra large the size range is super inclusive. In the states I did wear an XS but I couldn't find them online on my return so I opted for the S - there is a difference in size but not by a huge amount. Although the exchange rate in the states makes them cheaper to buy out there, shipping is a killer! They are available from Tactical Kit for £30.95 here!
Hey everyone! So I get a lot of questions about my time spent in the States, and MilSim West: Objective Stavropol is always a topic of conversation! When I was asked this weekend about it I remembered, I hadn't posted the blog post of MSW so here it is!
On the 26th April 2017 myself, Unicorn Leah and Jet Desertfox flew from Ontario, California to San Jose, CA and then finally onto Seattle, Washington for the next instalment of MilSim West. As many of you will know from watching Leah and Jet's social media feeds that they are avid MilSim West fans and they took me along to pop my MilSim West cherry. We arrived in Washington a little early - a couple of days in fact so we had a few days to chill before the game. On our first night we visited the 'Rep House' to hang out with the Rushing Russians. After our stay at the Rep House we made the enormous drive from Seattle to our next stop - an Airbnb in Centreville which was around 5 hours away via car. On the drive through it seemed like we drove through every season/every terrain - from the snowy mountains to the rolling green hills. Washington is absolutely gorgeous. We arrived at the Cadre house in the afternoon and set about relaxing before the event. We left for the op location at 12pm the next day.
Once we arrived at the op location after a short 30 minute drive and we started to get kitted up and reshuffled our rucks ready, whilst we were getting our gear sorted we met up with the rest of our section which included Omar from Enola Gaye, PNW Punk, Dayton from The House Gamers, Poi and Lupe who is behind the IG account Slayerella. We spent the next few hours chatting, preparing our kit and eating in the barn waiting for the game to kick off later that evening.
At 7pm our briefing began, the Russian and Militia Cadre briefed us on what the next 36 hours would entail, the AO and the mission we had to undertake - remove NATO forces from the area, by any means necessary. They then made sure we had everything we would need - we had to lay out all of our kit and show our Cadre that we had everything on the tacsop document. Due to the testing nature of these games it is super important that everyone is prepared to prevent discomfort and injury.
At sunset, all Russian and Militia forces organised into their sections and mobilised, we slung on our rucks and started walking in formation to our first FOB which was around 1 mile into AO, the walk took us around 20-30 minutes. I've never had to ruck anywhere before so this was a completely new experience for me, it was tough going but we all completed the walk.
It was almost pitch black when we arrived at our Militia FOB location so it was pretty tough going with uneven ground from rabbit warrens, debris from fallen trees and rocks protruding from the ground. When we got to our location we set up a defensive perimeter as our squads prepared their kit for the night. Militia HQ squad went out on a raid during the early hours of the morning and for Lupe (@slayerella) and I, it was time for STAG duties. We were on STAG for around 3-4 hours, we positioned ourselves amongst a mound of debris from a fallen tree and stared into the night with our weapons raised ready to engage any NATO that entered our FOB. Temperatures dropped pretty quickly Friday evening from a lovely 10 degrees celcius to around 1 degree at 3am.
I have been to Ops in the UK where it has been cold as fuck mixed with rain but nothing quite prepared me for MilSim West. Our Op location was opposite Mount Rainier, so we had a deathly cold wind blowing in from the mountain along with the low temperatures. Shortly after 3 am, myself and Lupe made the decision to get in our sleeping bags, despite both of us wearing cold weather gear and wrapping a sleeping bag around us on whilst we were keeping watch, we were both shivering. That night I barely slept, it was so cold as we had no shelter to shield us from the wind and sleeping out in the woods.
During the night, our Militia section hit 2 NATO patrols during the raids and returned at 4am. At around 8am whilst we were preparing for the day we were informed that enemy platoons were on their way to our location so we all threw our tac kit on ready for a scrap. One thing about MilSims is the pace of play can be slow at times and after around 20 minutes of waiting NATO troops to descend on our defensive positions, we decided to take the fight to them.
Militia HQ taking orders from Space Commander General Jet
We walked out of the FOB in the cold, brisk morning air and started closing the gap between our position and the NATO FOB. Jet took a small team ahead with him to their position, leaving myself and a few others to maintain a defensive line.
Dayton in a defensive position
Waiting
Our scout squad returned after around 15 minutes with details of the NATO FOB location and orders to attack their base, orders were sent out over the radios for the Militia call signs to join us at our location so we could launch an attack.
As our Militia call signs arrived at our location we started moving out towards the NATO FOB, as our other call signs flanked left to get the drop on NATO, Militia HQ and Honour guard squads walked across the open fields hooking right to distract and divert their attention. As we approached their position we popped smoke grenade upon smoke grenade to cloud their vision and our blank fire squad disorientated them with a barrage of shots.
Once in range we started engaging the NATO troops, taking out those that we could, popping smoke and medicing our squad members that had been hit in the advance. On our advance my gun failed meaning I was unable to engage anyone, so I instead supported the rest if our squad by throwing pyro and medicing those who needed it.
We had distracted the NATO players so well with our right advance that it gave our Militia call signs on the left enough time to infiltrate their base without being heard or seen. Once we had call signs in the FOB, we took out their troops and gained ground quickly. Once the FOB was cleared of enemies we started to search their bodies for intel and ammo - once located we moved this outside their base so we could load it into our vehicles that were en route to our location.
Searching bodies
'Vape nation'
After the attack on NATO we walked back to our FOB and started packing our gear up into our transport vehicles to take us to the Russian FOB on the other side of the base. When we arrived we started making a shelter for the night to come. Whilst I collected dried, dead leaves to lay on the ground of the shelter, Dayton and Poi dug the ground out from behind a pre-existing barricade.
The night for the HQ squad was spent refuelling on food and sitting by the fire. Russian and Militia forces were out at all hours of the night, hitting the NATO FOB on the hour, every hour.
At around 5am, there were shots fired into the Russian FOB, a small group of NATO soldiers had managed to evade all of our patrols. We woke up to pyro being thrown, shouting and guns being discharged. Our squad member Poi exploded out of bed and into action, throwing our rifles to us before he ran out into the darkness from where the shots were coming from.
We sat up in bed, clutching at our rifles, listening intently to determine where the shots were coming from and how close they were. BBs started hitting the tarpaulin of our shelter narrowly missing us so we hunkered down. After around 5 minutes, the shots ceased.
We were up early, at around 7am. Militia and Russian troops were still out fighting against NATO. We started packing our camp away and reorganising our kit in anticipation for the very last assault. The last assaults at MilSim West are somewhat legendary!
The last battle came an hour before the Op was due to finish. At 10am, a wave of NATO forces pushed their way from the treeline into the Militia/Russian FOB. As I was sat by the fire digging a tick out of my arm, we heard shouting and weapons being discharged so we stopped what we were doing, picked up our weapons and started running towards where the shots were coming from. Once we got into the tree line we saw our Russian brothers and sisters getting stuck in. The engagement lasted around an hour with mortars being dropped, smoke and pyro being thrown all over the shop and rounds whizzing past. The battle cries in russian added to the atmosphere.
I can honestly say, that MilSim West: Objective Stavropol was by far the hardest experience I've undertook in my 3 years of playing airsoft, from the cold to rucking all my kit, gun failures, sleeping rough outdoors it was an experience but after I embraced the suck, it was fucking awesome. I would fully recommend MilSim West to anyone looking to take their MilSim game to the next level. I also want to say a huge thank you to MilSim West for flying me out with Jet and Leah to take part in this awesome op.
Check out my gameplay video from the final battle at MilSim West: Objective Stavropol below:
