Interview with No Nonsense Airsoft, News and Reviews!

This week I had an interview with the guys from No Nonsense Airsoft, News and Reviews! You can check them out here - https://www.facebook.com/NoNonsenseAirsoftNewsAndReviews for some great content! Thanks for chatting with me guys! Had a blast! :)

"Recently we spoke to Kelly from Femme Fatale Airsoft and we had the opportunity to ask her a few questions. Here is what she said!" 

NNA: When did you start Airsoft?
Kelly: My very first Airsoft game was in February of 2011 for one of my female best friend’s birthday at a woodland site near Nottingham, which I enjoyed but I was just a newb borrowing my boyfriend’s kit which put me off a little. I didn’t play again until August of 2014 (so a year ago now), when a couple of my friends held a private Airsoft skirmish for their birthday at a local site, this time I had my own gun - the G&G FF26 and my own kit, which made the day a more comfortable experience. I fell in love with the sport. I started playing once a month at our local site and even started a team. I left my team earlier this year but I now play every weekend up and down the country at different sites with groups of amazing people that I have met through the sport. 

NNA: What made you want to start Airsoft?
Kelly: In my spare time, I’m quite a big gamer and over the years I have played a lot of Call of Duty and other first person shooters so when Airsoft was explained to me I thought ‘That sounds awesome!’ so I gave it a go and absolutely loved it. I also loved the idea of building a load out that was completely unique to me. 

NNA: Gender split in Airsoft is obviously male-heavy. Do you think that the sport is as accessible to ladies as it should be?
Kelly: I think Airsoft is accessible to everyone regardless of gender etc. however it could be more accessible and I think that this will come when player attitudes start changing towards females in the sport – we’re players in our own right, we can keep up and we play just as hard as the guys. I have experienced a few different reactions on the field, from catcalling, sexist jokes and even ‘jokes’ referring to sexual violence but these have been very few and far between thankfully. At most sites however, I am treated like any other player, which is exactly what I want. Female Airsofters don’t need or want special treatment, we want to be treated as equals. 

NNA: Are there ways in which you think we could get more female players involved in Airsoft?
Kelly: Absolutely! I’ve known some sites to operate game days where wives/girlfriends/female friends play for free, which is pretty cool because it gives them a chance to play with nothing to lose. I don’t think the female community is big enough for sites to offer women only game days but that is something I would love to see. I think the best advice for anyone wanting to get more females involved in the sport is to talk passionately about it with them. 

NNA: What are your favourite and least favourite aspects of Airsoft in the UK as it currently?
Kelly: My favourite and least favourite aspects of the Airsoft community in the UK as it currently stands are the players. They are my favourite aspect because through travelling the UK and playing different sites I have made what I hope to be lifelong friends with loads of awesome people who I run alongside regularly and have the best Airsoft weekends with. One of my favourite things is meeting and chatting to new people. But the players are also my least favourite aspect because there is a lot of drama and a general lack of respect amongst players – many will disagree with me on that but we are a very small community that gets attacked on a regular basis because of the sport we play, we really need to look out for each other and stick together. 

NNA: Skirmish or MilSim and why?
Kelly: At this very moment in time, I would say Skirmish as I haven’t had chance to play a MilSim yet. I do however have 2 MilSim’s planned for the near future – Spartan CQC Zero One Thirty 31 hour MilSim at the end of August and Warzone’s 35 hour Op Sledgehammer in October, which I’m really looking forward to as they will be a completely different style of play than I am used to and will test me mentally, physically and my abilities as a player. I’m always looking for ways to improve as a player and experiencing MilSim gameplay will definitely help.  

NNA: You have mentioned in the past wanting to create a brand of airsoft-suitable tactical clothing for ladies who pew. Can you give us any information about how that idea has progressed?
Kelly: Throughout the time I have been Airsofting I have found it difficult to find kit – UBACs and combat trousers that fit me well because of my small stature, so I decided to design a line of tactical clothing for women in women’s sizes. I drew up the designs and made the patterns ready for the clothing to be made – I got really good feedback from women in the Airsoft community regarding the designs but with the growth of FFA, my two jobs and becoming a carer to my Grandfather, the idea was put on hold until I have more time to dedicate to it. 

NNA: What's your dream Airsoft gun and why?
Kelly: My dream Airsoft gun would probably be a Mini Gun cerakoted in glittery hot pink because nothing says ultimate annihilation like a pink glittery Mini Gun haha 

NNA: What is your current Loadout? Why do you wear the kit you do?
Kelly: My current load out is from top to toe is: Nuprol Black FAST Helmet with my GoPro set up, black mesh goggles and half mesh face mask and a pink shemagh – I wear mesh goggles as I find lenses steam up quite a bit and I wear full face because I only had my braces taken off in April – I definitely don’t want to lose any teeth! On my top half I wear a MTP UBAC and my Warrior Assault Systems Recon Plate Carrier in the shooters cut (complete with a tactical Hello Kitty) – I will admit I was very reluctant to spend so much on a Plate Carrier but I have found it difficult to find one to fit, the Warrior Assault Systems Recon Plate Carrier though fits me perfectly because it’s quite small, completely adjustable and the shooters cut makes it a lot easier to shoulder my rifle – It’s definitely been a worthwhile purchase! On my lower body I run a pair of Viper Vcam Elite Combat Trousers with built in knee pads (great for those power slides in CQB which I’m quite fond of!), a Nuprol Retention Holster and drop leg set up for my WE Gen 4 Glock 18C and also a Fobus holster for my WE M&P – I run two pistols simply because I couldn’t choose which one to run because I like them both so much so I thought ‘two pistols? Why not!’ and my Viper Vcam Recon boots. 

NNA: Do you prefer playing in a team of being a lone wolf?
Kelly: I prefer playing in a team, for definite. As I’ve said, I left my team at the beginning of May this year, and initially I was a little worried about going to sites on my own but I’ve made some great friends at the different sites I’ve played at. Now I squad up with players on the day at sites and I’ve been lucky to run with some great players and teams. 

NNA: In the future of airsoft as a whole, what part do you think that you and your blog will play?
Kelly: My vision for Femme Fatale Airsoft has always been to encourage and support female players, to get more women into the game by making Airsoft more accessible through information available to them! Whether it be on kit or sites to visit, which FFA will continue to be.
As for me, I have been working hard on getting women on par with the guys in the Airsoft scene in the UK. I became the first female admin to the UKAC earlier this year, which is the biggest community of UK Airsofters on Facebook and I have recently become a writer for Airsoft Action, which I absolutely love – I am currently the only female contributor to a UK Airsoft publication. These are massive steps for women in our sport, as it means the industry is moving forward with us. Women are the fastest growing demographic in shooting sports and it’s important that we are represented too. I have received emails from male players saying because of my blog, the ladies in their lives have given Airsoft a try and they’ve loved it – this makes me feel really humble but also fills me with pride. I want to keep driving the industry forward and see other women follow in my footsteps, and I want to continue to be an advocate for gender equality in sport.

NNA :And finally, what is your favourite flavour of cookie?
Kelly: It’s a hard choice between double chocolate or oat and raisin. But I think if push came to shove and I could only eat one for the rest of my life it would be oat and raisin.

Many thanks to Kelly for stopping by and having a chat with us! Head over to her blog and numerous social media pages and show her some support!
http://www.femmefataleairsoft.co.uk
NNA Team.

 

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New England Airsoft Podcast Interview with John Bond.

Hey everyone! So this week I was interviewed by John Bond from the New England Airsoft Podcast from over the pond in the US. We talk about why I started FFA, it's future, the differences between Airsoft in the UK and the US and much more! I had an absolute blast and will be speaking with John after I've completed my upcoming MilSims :)

If you want to check out the podcast, here's the link:
http://neapodcast.wix.com/neapodcast

Kelly xo

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#EFFYOURSTEREOTYPES: Challenging the perceptions of Female Airsofters.

Hey everyone, this week it's time for a blog post with a difference! 3 weeks ago I posted a picture to Instagram as a light hearted jibe at the many stereotypes women in the Airsoft industry encounter each day and hashtagged it with #effyourstereotypes and it totally blew up! My Women of Airsoft battle sisters rallied round and made their own #effyourstereotypes posts! Then something absolutely unexpected and amazing happened - when I shared our posts on my Femme Fatale Airsoft Facebook page it was seen by almost 22,000 people from countries around the globe! So I decided this little movement deserved it's own blog post.

Every day more women are joining the ranks of female Airsofters and challenging the stereotypes. As many of you who read my blog and keep up to date with FFA on social media will know that I am a massive advocate for Gender Equality. The very purpose of FFA from the beginning has always been to encourage and support female players, but I have been called a Sexist and my personal favourite a 'Feminazi' because of my passion for Gender Equality - how very dare I want to end discrimination and promote equality for both sexes in sport?! :P This post compliments one of the very first blog posts of 2015 ' Being a Female Airsofter in a Male Dominated Sport' which you can read, look in the 'Popular Posts' in the column to the left and it will be there.

So let's get down to it, the subject is challenging the perceptions of female Airsofters and within this topic are two main points that I want to cover - the stereotype of women being weak, helpless, delicate creatures and the stereotype that female Airsofters are 'manly' and unfeminine. There's not much that rattles my cage but this issue is definitely one of them, whilst society has come leaps and bounds in progress for Gender Equality, it seems some individuals are still living with and practicing outdated attitudes towards women in sport.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have been told I couldn't do certain things because of my gender (not that I let that stop me) - such as contact sports or football in Secondary School. I assume this is because of the assumption on their part that girls are the weaker sex, but where does that assumption come from? Throughout history, in many cultures (although not all) women's roles have been restricted to raising children and taking care of the home whilst the men went out to hunt/work/fight etc (which also brings about a stereotype for men that puts immense pressure on them).

These 'preprogrammed' roles for women translate into attitudes that get passed through generations and are then ingrained into our society. This is explained perfectly in the Always #LikeAGirl - Unstoppable advert, which you can watch to the right! The Always #LikeAGirl campaign (http://always.com/en-us/about-us/our-epic-battle-like-a-girl) was started because of the normalisation of the insult 'like a girl'.

 I do everything like a girl - fight like a girl, shoot like a girl, drive like a girl, because I am a girl. And there's nothing wrong with that. I've said it before, but I will say it again - some of the female Airsofters I've met and had the pleasure to play alongside, play harder than the guys. Women are the biggest growing demographic in shooting sports and we're not just girlfriends being dragged along to games in our boyfriends kits. We're players in our own right. Sliding into cover, taking objectives, rocking out in jeeps, getting the kills and just generally kicking ass! We give as good as we get. Since the beginning of FFA I have working tirelessly to smash these stereotypes and to push myself to be a better player. Despite all the criticism, sexist comments and just general rubbish that is thrown at female Airsofters online and on the field, it has been worth it. Becoming the first female admin to the biggest UK group of Airsofters on Facebook and the first female contributor to a UK Airsoft publication means the industry is moving forward with us, and that these stereotypes are dying out. I am both so proud and humble to be apart of this.

The other stereotype that I wanted to address was that you can't be feminine and play airsoft. Firstly there is nothing wrong with not being girly but I am, I like to wear dresses, get my nails done and shoot shit. Airsoft is accessible to anyone.

These women that I am featuring in this blog post are a mixture of my Women of Airsoft sisters, followers and friends who are all doing their bit to push the industry forward for women, whether it's having a fab attitude on the field, leading teams or showing how badass female players are through their videos etc.

I proudly present to you #effyourstereotypes:

 Laura Clare
Airsofter.

lorraine.carpenter (www.instagram.com/lorraine.carpenter)

Airsofter.

callsign_valkyrie (www.instagram.com/callsign_valkyrie)
Airsofter, WOA, Pink Rangers.

sisumilsim (www.instagram.com/sisumilsim)

Airsofter, WOA, 'Mommy who wears combat boots'

silentkittyairsoft (www.instagram.com/silentkittyairsoft)

Airsofter, photographer.



tacticalali (www.instagram.com/tacticalali)

Airsofter, team leader, Pink Rangers, WOA.



Kris AKA Snap Shot.



ladylynnairsoft (www.instagram.com/ladylynnairsoft)

SoCal Airsofter, WOA, Designated machine gunner.



airsoft_princess (www.instagram.com/airsoft_princess)

Airsofter, WOA.

xo_airsoft_nazzykins_ox (www.instagram.com/xo_airsoft_nazzkyins_ox)

Airsofter, Marshal, WOA, Battle Bitch.

bibbles87 (www.instagram.com/bibbles87)

'I'm a plus sized, 27 year old beauty blogger and content creator from Ireland. I spend most of my time playing with makeup, shopping for vintage dresses and crafting. Before my foot injury I enjoyed Airsofting with my husband. The past year and a half has given me plenty of time to plan my dream kit and hopefully post foot surgery I'll be back on the field soon!'



p90_Girl (www.instragram.com/p90_girl)

'&& my add on to @femmefataleairsoft series of photos. Being a girl doesn't mean what it use too. I'm a girl. A Milsimer, a speedsofter, a student, an EMT, and I still find time to wear dresses. My gender has never held me back'



And in the interest of Gender Equality and the fact it is effing fabulous, here is an #effyourstereotypes pic submitted by Selwyn Brooks (www.instagram.com/doomcrewairsoft) for the movement:



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Slaydies Series: Christine Holthus/milsimmedic5

So next up in my Slaydies Series is none other than Christine Holthus or better known as milsimmedic5! Christine is one of the amazing supportive female Airsofters that I have met through Instagram, hear what she has to say!

Thank you for taking part in my Slaydies Series Christine! Can you tell my readers about your Airsoft background? What originally got you into Airsoft? Where is your home site? What are the most memorable sites you've played?

I have been Airsofting for 4-5 years as a member of the Nemesis Milsim Airsoft Team based in the Chicagoland area of Illinois.  It was my fiancé, and Nemesis Team Captain, who originally got me into the sport. At the time, I was playing softball in College and had almost no interest in the sport. I felt that Airsoft was his hobby and I didn’t want to intrude on what I perceived to be his “guy time.” In addition, I’d never heard of any girls that played airsoft and stepping onto an airsoft field as the only girl felt very intimidating. However, my fiancé continued to ask me to come to team practices with him and when I finally gave in, I discovered I loved the sport!

One of the most memorable sites I have played at was the Las Playas Training Center in New Mexico at American Milsim’s Operation Copperhead I. Las Playas was a copper mining town, which was opened during the 1970’s in the middle of the desert, close to Mexico’s boarder.  The site was deserted in 1999 and has since been used for training by the armed forces.  In fact, some parts of the town have been reconstructed to mimic Afghan villages. We even discovered that Warner Brothers Studios filmed part of the new Batman vs. Superman movie there. It was truly a one of a kind experience that not many people can say that they’ve had.  The second most memorable site I’ve played at would have to be the Government Training Institute facility in South Carolina at American Milsim’s Operation Faded Giant III. The site was a uranium enrichment facility for nuclear warheads and the buildings themselves have so many levels, twists, and turns that it is veryyyyy easy to get lost and disoriented if you’re not careful.  This also means that you can never say with confidence that your team has control of any part of the AO and you always have to be on your guard no matter what room or corridor you’re in.

My home site is at Promisedland Paintball field in Trevor, Wisconsin. My Team hosts events, practices, and sometimes just hangs out at this field. The terrain of this field is very challenging because it has several steep hills and is a great place to play if you’re looking for a fun woodsball game. There is also a spring-fed swimming hole onsite with a private beach, which is a great feature to have on hot summer days.

The thing that I love most about airsoft, besides the game play and intense firefights, are the friendships I’ve made and the people I’ve been able to meet because of the sport.  Every time I go to a game, I feel like I’m going to a family reunion and I love that airsoft has allowed me to connect with people who love the sport as much as I do.  

How would you describe your playing style?

 My favourite game play style is definitely CQB. I love how fast-paced and intense it is. I’m the type of player that thrives in high-stress games that test athleticism. In fact, I am usually so active on the field that there aren’t many times where you won’t see me running during an Op. Which is probably why the Medic role suits me.

Tell us about your favourite weapons and Loadouts!

 My weapons of choice would be my Krytac CRB and my KWA M9.  Since I’m a Medic and am usually really active on the field, my loadout is built to emphasize speed over firepower. I run an LBT 6094 plate carrier with a Blue Force Gear 10 Speed and Mini-Map. I wear Propper Pants, a 5.11 Combat Shirt, and a pair of Vasque 2.0 GTX Breeze boots. However, my favourite piece of equipment is my hot pink kydex holster for my KWA M9 pistol.  Before I had my holster made, most players didn’t even realize I was a girl because my bump helmet covers my hair. However, the holster is so noticeable that it has definitely become my signature and also how a lot of people recognize me on the field.

 

Being a woman in Airsoft: Do you feel you are treated differently because of your gender? If so, how do you deal with this? 

I don’t feel that I’m treated differently because of my gender, but I do feel that guys are surprised when I perform well on the field.  Its true, that women are definitely in the minority of the airsoft world, but I feel that this is slowly starting to change as women gain more visibility in the sport.

And finally! Your thoughts - do you have any advice or anything you want to say to other Airsofters out there?

 One of the questions that guys ask me all the time is “how can I get my fiancé, girlfriend, or wife to play airsoft?” When I think about my answer, I remember the time when I was first starting to get into the sport. My fiancé didn’t take “no” for an answer and continued to ask me to come to team practices. Lesson #1; persistence pays off! He also took on the role of being both a coach and a mentor to me when I was on the field and didn’t just leave me to my own devices right away. Lesson #2; gaining confidence on the field and being comfortable as an individual player takes time and is not something that typically occurs right away. And finally when it came to gear, my fiancé provided me with suggestions, truly thought about what would work for ME, and connected me with a lot of players who agreed to let me try out their gear so that I could find what I liked best. Lesson #3; the gear that works for male Airsofters, will not always work for female Airsofters.  I’ve seen so many girls on the field who are new to the sport that look almost identical to their boyfriends/husbands/fiancés. I think a lot of male players inadvertently make mini versions of themselves by outfitting their female counterparts in gear that they use, mostly because its familiar and what they know. Thus, I’ll conclude with challenging all the men in the hobby and even airsoft companies to find and make gear that is better suited to women.

You can find Christine on a variety of social media!: 

Her Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/MilsimMedic and her Instagram account https://instagram.com/milsimmedic5/.  If you’re interested in learning more about her team, Nemesis Milsim, you can find us at https://www.facebook.com/nmairsoft?fref=ts&ref=br_tf.  
 

 

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Nuprol Glock Series Retention Paddle Holster and Drop Leg Platform Review.

A couple of Sundays ago, I popped into my local Airsoft shop – JD Airsoft, to pick up a few last minute bits and bobs ready for my weekend of Airsofting in the South for Ironsight’s Second Birthday Game, and whilst I was there I picked up a Nuprol EU Glock Series Retention Paddle Holster and Drop Leg Platform for my WE Glock 18c to replace my existing Holster. I had previously worn a Viper adjustable fabric holster but as many of you will have seen in my bloopers video – my holster game with that particular one was not too strong! Haha.

The Nurpol Holster and Drop Leg Platform set up I run are purchased separately – the Retention Paddle holster at £19.99 and the Drop Leg Platform at £34.99 – which is easily the most I have ever spent on a Holster, but after using it I have decided it was definitely a worthwhile purchase!

So let’s start with the Retention Paddle Holster, it’s made from durable black polymer for a right handed player, which is designed to be attached to the players belt via the paddle system. It can accommodate belts up to 5.6cm wide and 0.5cm thick, although I have ran mine on just my trousers and it was comfortable and secure. The angle of holster can be changed to whatever the player requires and It features a retention system and a push button release system so the pistol is secure but can still be drawn quickly. What I really like about the push button release system is that it covers the trigger which means the chance of accidental and negligent discharge is reduced drastically – there is nothing pleasant about shooting yourself in the foot by accident due to a holster malfunction! It comes with an Allen key to enable the user to adjust the angle or remove the paddle so it can be used with the Nuprol Drop Leg Platform.

The Drop Leg Platform is made out of the same black polymer as the holster and is completely adjustable to the wearer. Now being quite petite, I was a little worried that the drop leg could have been too big. However, once I had removed the top buckle section and adjusted the straps, it was ready to go. The holster is easily attached to the drop leg using an Allen key, and again, can be placed at any angle.

I have ran my holster with and without the Nuprol Drop Leg Platform, and I am definitely a fan of both. The drop leg platform fits securely and has zero movement, it was comfortable enough to wear for a full day of airsoft. It’s also easy to reach and the push button release means there’s no chance of it falling out whilst running about, which I have found with other drop leg holsters. Although I think it looks better attached to the drop leg, running just the holster is also pretty comfortable - like I said, I ran mine on just my trousers and it was comfortable against the contours of my hip and had very no movement. It was also easy to draw at hip height.

Overall, I'm really happy with the product, it is aesthetically pleasing, the quality is excellent and is really good value for the price! It offers a secure retention of the pistol and quick, easy deployment for those moments when you need to react. The holster is also available for other types of pistols such as 1911 and they are even cross compatible with other brands such as TM, which is fab.

- Kelly xo

 

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April 2015 UKAC Admin Meet Up at Ironsight, Andover, UK.

On the 25th of April, me and a few of my Grey Fox 348 team mates made the 2.5 hour journey from Derby in the Midlands to Andover, down South to meet up and play a game with my fellow UKAC Admins at Ironsight (http://www.ironsightairsoft.co.uk/), their home site.

 

The 300 mile round trip consisted of dull British Motorways in very dull British weather, included 28 miles worth of Average Speed Checks and of course, road works! But despite all that, the drive was clear and easy. The distance meant we stayed overnight on the Saturday and had a hilarious evening full of drinks and banter before the days airsoft shenanigans! The site is located in Andover, UK and is easy to get to from the A303 and a short drive through the village of Andover, it is well signposted so is fairly easy to find. There is ample car parking available at the site but get there early so you get a decent spot in the safe zone! 

The site was previously a mushroom farm and has been transformed into one of the most impressive CQB sites I have personally been to. It is split into different areas for play, consisting of two main building complexes and a dockyard. The first building complex houses the reception area to sign in, a small shop where you can purchase all the beebs, pyro and gas needed for the day, an indoor range and a large safe zone capable of accommodating around 60 players and their gear. It's also home to 6 rooms of play which all have different themes and impressive structures such as the train room, the slaughter room and the Aztec room which are connected by a central corridor. The second building complex is of a similar lay out but has a Post Apocalyptic theme, however I didn't experience any game play in that area. The Dockyard has plenty of barricaded areas and cover to defend. I really loved all the effort the Ironsight team has put into the decoration of their site – it definitely
makes for interesting game play!

 
Booking can be done by phone, getting in touch via their website or their Facebook group and payment is taken on the day at sign in. We booked on via Facebook and the walk on fee was £25 which included lunch, which surprisingly was a cheeseburger and beans - which is undoubtedly the best food I've ever had at an Airsoft game and makes a pleasant change! The site staff are all really friendly and welcoming to both frequent players and those who had never played the site, they even got stuck in with the accent banter that was prevalent during the day! (You can’t put that many Northerners and Southerners together without it! Haha!) We were lucky to get a tour of the site the day before from one of the sites Airsoft managers so we were kind of familiar with the terrain before the game which was a huge help. Tours are also given before briefing on the day. The staff were also really helpful when I had to wash my eye out due to being green gassed by one of the other players when my Glock 18c decided to have a moment.

Chrono is performed in a dedicated area and the sites limit is 350FPS on 0.2g BBs for AEGs, 420FPS for DMRs with a Minimum Engagement Distance of 15 metres and 500FPS for Sniper Rifles with an MED of 20 metres, which is pretty standard across the board. All players were given a comprehensive safety brief by the one of the sites Airsoft Managers before game on so everyone is clear on the rules for the day! If you're from the Midlands or any further North bring a translator ;) Haha.

During the course of the day we played a variety of game modes including a Team Death Match to get the day started and everyone warmed up! My favourite games of the day were the 3 stage attack in which both teams took part in defending and attacking different areas around the game site and the drug packages game where each team had to collect all the ‘drugs packages’ and escort their VIP to a designated area. The games ran smoothly and progressed well. One of the elements to the day that really makes it or breaks it for me is the level of sportsmanship from the other players! I wasn’t disappointed, the other players were honest and courteous about taking their hits! There was plenty of banter throughout the day from both sides which is always great to see! Most of the other players were happy to engage in conversations with people they had never met which is one of the things that make airsofters so awesome! I had the chance to meet a load of great members from the UKAC including Steve Morris from Token Airsoft and his team The Devil Monkey's and the sites home team, The House Of Wolves.

At the end of this month I am returning to Ironsight for their 2nd Birthday Game! I'm really looking forward to it as I really enjoyed the day and the site is ran very well. The price was in line with other walk on fees up and down the country however the food was well above average. Overall, a really great day!.

 

 

 

Contact details: 01264 726490

http://www.ironsightairsoft.co.uk/

IronSight Airsoft

Goodworth Clatford

Andover

Hampshire

SP11 7LF

 Group photos thanks to Dave Cole.

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Slaydies Series Spotlight: Aleeia Marcelo/ p90_girl

Hey everyone! Carrying on in my series of Slaydies Spotlights, here is a feature on the lovely p90_girl. I have been a follower of hers since I joined Instagram last year and she is one of the women pushing our sport forward for more female players, her views on women in Airsoft closely match those of Femme Fatale Airsoft and it has been a pleasure interviewing her!

Thank you for taking part in my Slaydies Series Aleeia! How long have you been Airsofting? What got you into Airsoft and what do you love about the sport? Where is your home site? What are the most memorable sites you’ve played?

I’ve been airsofting for about three years now. It all started when a boy I had dated was really into it. He eventually got my dad and brothers into it as well, sadly, he didn’t think I was right for it and refused to take me. Quite frankly, he was a bit right. I ended up tagging along with him and my dad and brothers for a game. I hated it the very first time I played. It was at the local outdoor field on one of Georgia’s hottest summers, I was sweaty, I had thorns in my hair, and I kept putting the mag in upside down. Not to mention I forgot to put the gun off safety for half the day. It was frustrating and I was pretty much on my own while my boyfriend at the time played for the objective. My K/D ratio was like 25/0. But I couldn’t let my boyfriend be right about this not being my thing. So I hung around till game two, where I wondered on to an objective and shot the player guarding it. Luckily there was only one guy guarding it and I had the advantage. That play took zero to no skill and that guy had been my first kill. I grabbed this box and took it back to the spawn, and it ended up being the winning objective. I felt so cool. I wanted to play again, and actually try a bit harder this time. I felt like this super cool gun wielding person from a movie or something. I got in the zone. Airsoft became so much fun!

I ended up playing it every weekend and I’d like to think I’m not that bad at it. The field I first started at back in 2011, has long since closed, and my new home field is Elite Ops Airsoft, a CQB field in Canton Georgia. I’m also the Head Ref there and spend every free weekend I get going back into the Airsoft Zone that I had tapped into during my second game of airsoft. No matter where I play at, I’ve always had a lot of fun. I visited California last summer, and got to play on some really cool fields that are so different from my home state. I played at HSP, Forge, Both Tac Cities, and SC Vipe. I’m going to remember all of those places.

Describe your playing style to my readers!

I describe the way I play airsoft in one word, MilSpeed. I’ve played my fair share of Milsim and Semi-Milsim Ops, and I’ve played a good bout of CQB, which is much faster. When I’m in that airsoft zone, I tend to play the objective and play it like I have unlimited respawns. Which sometimes I do, and sometimes I don’t. Ha.

What’s your weapon of choice? And what loadout do you normally run?

My weapon of choice is most brands of P90s. My Dad works a lot with the airsoft teching community and has pretty much built me guns that are prefect for each environment. The good thing about airsoft guns is that they can internally be built for different uses than their real steel counterparts. P90s are classified as Sub Machine Guns, and I have a P90 build that is a DMR for distance shooting. I just like the way P90s feel and I’m so use to it that I hold M4s awkwardly wrong. My load outs are different depending on what type of game I’m going to. My CQB Load out mostly consists of Black Camo patterns. I generally don’t run a vest for mobility and to be light weight. I have a Valken Sly profit mask with the amber lense, and when I use my secondary, I have a drop leg. My Load out is AOR 1 clone, gen 3. My vest is a TMC 6094.

Being a women in Airsoft: Do you feel you are treated differently because of your gender? If so, how do you deal with this?

When I first started Airsofting, the only difference I really found was that a lot of players tried to low ball me during trades. Girls are generally looked at as inexperienced players, and sometimes girls are very inexperienced. But this low expectation of skill that is handed to most girls, keeps them from ever thinking they should keep getting better at the game. I’m the captain of an All Girls Airsoft team in Georgia called Black Sunset, and our main goal is to encourage these women who want to get started, to give them a higher standard to reach. But as I started to experience Airsoft in more places and with more people, and on the internet, I’ve noticed that girls are harshly judged. They are judged worse than their male counterparts. They become victims of the rumour mill without doing much of anything to warrant it. Their motives for even playing the game are questioned and they can easily become the butt of a joke, just because of their gender. I feel with more women picking up a gun and genuinely liking the game, we will push out a lot of the disrespect that girls get. Which is why I fully support females playing this sport.

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

The famous Attack on Airsoft, is very real out there. Our government is getting more and more pressure to start making our Airsoft guns neon colors. I believe to help in the fight to save Airsoft, players should do more than sign a petition. Practice gun safety, and teach it to everyone you can. Keep Barrel socks on your Airsoft guns. Don’t let your friends play back yard Airsoft when they are close to their neighbour’s houses. Make Airsoft a common place thing! The more people that understand it, the less likely certain laws are to be passed. Talk to your local field owners and have events where new or first time players can get discounts or half priced rental guns. Join up with C3, a website that promotes Airsoft across the states and helps people find Airsoft fields. All these things can help. So I urge everyone who plays Airsoft to get the sport out there. Start a league, have an op, help advertise local games. You don’t have to be an adult, a senator, or even have 10k followers to make a difference. 

Leave us the links to your social media! Where can my readers find you?

www.facebook.com/p90girl

www.facebook.com/teamblacsunset

www.teamblacksunset.webs.com

www.instagram.com/@p90_girl

www.instagram.com/@EliteOpsAirsoftField

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Why do we play Airsoft?

I get asked this question fairly often by people who are outside of our community - those who haven't heard of Airsoft, nor played it can't quite wrap their heads around why you would willing put yourself in a position where you could get shot with an Airsoft gun - after all we've all seen the pictures of what damage those dodgy Seaside market BB guns are capable of! In all fairness to them, when I first heard of Airsoft I immediately thought 'doesn't that hurt?! Why would anyone put themselves through that willingly?!' and thought you'd have to be pretty crazy to play such a sport! Then I played Airsoft and everything changed.

 

In this article I will tell you exactly why I play Airsoft and what I love most about the sport! I also asked my fabulous Instagram Followers for the reasons they love Airsoft so much and those will be featured in here.

 

Now at first glance I am an unlikely candidate for an Airsofter, and my sporting history is not something I would shout from the roof tops. I'm relatively small - 5"4 and weighing around 8st, I'm very girly - opting for dresses and heels at every opportunity and I am not that fond of the outdoors (mud and bugs are just not my thing!) My sporting history has never been that impressive, at school I would choose the 'easy choice' and always got my Mum and Dad to write me a 'sicknote' so I didn't need to do swimming or Javelin throwing haha! There is something different about Airsoft that you just don't get with other sports, the camaraderie, the gear, everything!

The first reason I would say definitely keeps me coming back to Airsoft is the people. I have made some, what I hope to be, lifelong friends through Airsoft, both in my team and also the UKAC. You can meet so many people and make many new friends. Airsoft brings people together in a way I haven't observed much in other sports! The banter flows and everyone is really welcoming whether you are a new player or an experienced one. This reason is echoed throughout my following base with @outfoxedairsoft, @aliciapasaye, @4evapanda, @theairsoftprincess, @doomcrewairsoft also giving this as the thing they love most about Airsoft, it's well known that a day of skirmishing is 60% social and 40% actual Airsofting.

Reason number two - The adrenaline! One of the things I love about Airsoft is that surge of adrenaline you get when you are the last one left on your team in a defender game and you're holding everyone off knowing at any minute you could be taken out, or when you are taking point, leading your squad through a tight building knowing an enemy could be right around the corner. Terrifying stuff! I love getting so pumped that when you get back to the safe zone to bomb up your mags and your hands are shaking so much from the Adrenaline your beebs are dropping everywhere. I love that feeling, the hunt, the 'kill' and everything about.

Reason number 3 - The kit! There is so much to choose from and your gear is never complete, there is always something to add to make it even more perfect. @2265tactical, @hans198313 said this was their favourite thing about Airsoft - including things such as getting a stock weapon and making it completely unique to you.

Then there are other reasons, that are so funny I have to share with you! From @kieran_tonge: 'Playing dress up', @remf_tacticool: Writhing around in piles of multicam gear like a pig in a cool muddy puddle on a hot summers day. @griffdogactual: raining plastic and my personal favourite from @paw_jr_airsoft: Shooting family when they are on opposite teams!
Such camaraderie!

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What is the biggest threat to the Airsoft Community?

Hey everyone, in light of recent trends I have noticed within the Airsoft community, I feel this is the perfect time to write this article as I have been thinking about it for a while! I want to explore, what I think are the biggest threats to our sport in the UK. Of course there are a lot of things that could negatively impact Airsoft, but here are, the big ones:

Government Policy: With the General Election just around the corner, who our next Government will be determines our future. As a lot of you will know, The Green Party, if they are elected (which I know a lot of people think is a ridiculous notion but what is more ridiculous is underestimating a Political Party that has garnered so much support in such a short space of time) want the sale and manufacture of Realistic Imitation Firearms to be banned which means we would have to swap our beloved guns for clear plastic replicas or brightly coloured ones (check their manifesto!) You would have to prise my Black Rose from my cold dead hands before I handed it over haha! This would have an exponential impact on our sport. I have emailed The Green Party myself to ask if an accommodation would be made for our sport and got the answer 'if you join our party as a member you will have a say on this policy', obviously I cannot support a party that proposes such a policy, so their suggestion is a no. Would this really stop us airsofting though? Would criminalising the ownership of RIFs stop us? The loss of businesses, jobs etc would be vast and would more than likely push airsoft underground.

The misuse of RIFS: One thing that has been prevalent in the media is the misuse of Realistic Imitation Firearms, and this is also something that fuels the policy above. You see it in the news, minors playing with RIFs in public, adults walking around in full gear in town centres with an airsoft weapon and scaring the general public. To anyone off the skirmish field, it is a live firearm. It goes without saying, using them for anything other than their intended use at dedicated sites or on private property is a incredibly dangerous practice and has a huge impact on how the media and those outside of our sport view us. Here is the link to the article in the Mirror regarding the man dressed in full combat clothing carrying a rifle - http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/norwich-gunman-hunt-live-updates-5326181 although it was later found out that he was raising money for charity, walking around a town centre with a RIF on display without informing the Police or having any evidence to support that story, is an incredibly risky move.
Also in February this year, a 17 year old boy was sentenced to community service for shooting an Airsoft Sniper out of his window at Pupils in a Primary School (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-31438010), according to the article the young lad was blowing off steam but shooting Primary school children? Incredibly mean and stupid in my opinion. Go to the range, shoot some paper targets, not live people and animals! It goes without saying, please do not do this!

Airsofters: This one may come as a surprise to many of you, but one of the biggest threats to our sport is Airsofters themselves. Now I'm talking about a specific type of Airsofter, you will have seen them - the ones that troll public forums and drag our sport through the dirt by using racial and homophobic slurs, the sexists, those who insist on being obnoxious to newcomers etc. As a niche sport, that is often misunderstood, we need to look after each other - by helping new players, practicing proper gun safety etc. Banter is all well and good, memes have their place but being abusive and purposely obnoxious to other players over the internet is a sure fire way to ensure people see us as immature and irresponsible. In my opinion, this is the biggest threat to us. You hear stories of people illegally purchasing RIFs, carrying RIFs to sites uncovered and in view of the public, fights breaking out at skirmish sites, calling each other names, starting hate campaigns against members of our community and it needs to stop.

One of these we don't have much control over, Political parties will always have policies in their manifesto that rain on someone's parade but the other two threats can be prevented by us! This article isn't meant to sound preachy, I just love this sport and I want to protect it as best as I can. The friends I have made and opportunities that have arisen from this sport are incredible and I am loathe to see them go. Be kind to each other, treat others how you would like to be treated, be a decent human being! If what you have to say isn't necessary, positive, constructive or kind, just think, is it worth it? We need to look after each other if we want our sport to become as big and as great as it can be! Thoughts? Leave them in the comment section below!

- Kelly xo

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'Why do you wear a full face of make up for Airsoft?'

Hey everyone, so it's been a while since I've done a post exclusively aimed at women, for this ladies I apologise! But I thought I'd kick my next femme-friendly article off with a comment someone left on one of my Instagram pictures (pictured below!)

'Why do you wear a full face of make up for Airsoft?'

This picture was a pregame selfie taken at a site in Derbyshire, as you can see I'm rocking the winged tip eyeliner, mascara, I have shaded in my eyebrows and I am also wearing a light BB cream and a layer of translucent powder to keep it all in place. Why?

I wear make up every day of my life and I have done since the age of 15, unless I plan on staying home, lounging and watching Netflix! I even wear it to work and the gym (just BB cream and mascara!) and Airsoft is no different. I don't wear make up because I am dissatisfied with the way I look but because I feel that it helps me look my best and I always want to put my best foot forward so to speak, it is also a crucial part of my morning routine - cleanse, tone, moisturise then make up and this makes me feel more prepared to face the day! Now I don't look this polished after a day of airsofting - I usually end up looking a bit rough, eyeliner a tad smudged depending on which eye pro I've worn, hair a mess from being in a helmet, battered from getting shot at for 8 hours and of course smelling like a swamp because I've been running about! I am very fortunate that my face doesn't sweat a lot so my make up will stay in place all day.

This comment led me to think, am I alone in this? Is it odd that I wear make up to Airsoft? How many other women do this? So I took to the UK's Ladies Airsoft group that I'm apart of on Facebook to ask the other ladies in the group if and why they wear make up for Airsoft! I found that their reasons echoed my own - not for reasons I have previously seen women accused of on various social media - such as 'trying to get a guys attention' or for vanity, which is offensive in my opinion. Can't women just wear make up for themselves because we like it? Or do all our actions have to revolve around impressing the opposite sex?

'I usually put some basic makeup on purely because I look absolutely hanging from getting up earlier on a Sunday! Haha it gets rid of the dark circles and all that lol It just makes me feel more ready for the day!' says Laura.

'Depends on how my skin looks, if it's pretty clear then just a touch of powder but if I'm rocking a breakout or dark circles then concealer, foundation and mascara' says Catrin.

'Just a bit of foundation and clear mascara to hide my uneven skin and keep my long eyelashes out my eyes. I don't make it look like I have make up on really' says Lisa

What is clear from these responses is that it is normal for women to wear make up for Airsoft, it makes us feel more prepared for the day and gives us a little more confidence, which is great! But there are also women who choose not to wear make up for skirmishes! Which is totally fine too! One thing I did make note of was that whether a woman wears make up for Airsoft relies heavily on if she wears make up in every day life and that none of the ladies asked treat a skirmish as a 'special event' where they need to doll themselves up like a night out! We aren't there to look pretty, we're there to win. 'Why do you wear a full face of make up for Airsoft?' Why not?

Thoughts? Leave them in the comment box below!

Kelly xo


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Instagram Q&A!

This week I asked my Instagram followers to help me with a blog article that was a little different to what I usually do! Their task was to ask me some questions to answer. Here they are!

@houseofwolvesairsoft asked: 'How do you find it playing in a predominantly male sport?'

When I first started out although I wasn't treated that much different to my male counterparts, I did get a few mocking and condescending comments such as 'Go easy on the girl', 'Don't hurt yourself princess' and 'Who helped you with your loadout?' from some of the older or very young players, presumably because I am young, blonde and small with manicured nails but they quickly stop once they see you out on the field,  giving it all you've got and massacring their team mates with a pink gun haha! Now I am more well known in the community through playing different sites and my Instagram, YouTube vids and being an admin to the UKAC I am treated with a lot of respect both on and off the field. I shouldn't have had to prove my validity as a player, but I have and as a result I am now treated as an equal regardless of what site I am at.

@t_rextactical asked: 'How does the UK community view aggressive player types? I myself play aggressively and do more abstract things to win. However I've drawn a lot of hate for how I play as well as portray myself as a player. Is the UK community very diverse in player types?'

The UK community has an abundance of different player types which is what makes our community so diverse and eclectic. I think it really depends on what you mean by 'abstract'. I, like a lot of female players have an aggressive playing style - I love taking point, pushing forward and getting up close and personal with the enemy but I abide by the rules because it is the only way to improve yourself as a player. 'Abstract' to me (I could be wrong!) sounds like playing dirty and taking advantage of the rules, I personally think it is better to play fair and honest to command respect than to win at all costs. But again, it really depends on what you meant by abstract!

@Kieran_tonge asked: 'Who's the most operator on team Grey Fox 348?'

Although I hate the word 'Operator' I would say the most 'Operator' member of Grey Fox 348 is probably Paul because of his epic tactical beard! Sorry Kieran :P Haha!

@bowtie_drummer asked: 'What's your opinion on younger players in the sport? Some people really don't get along with us sometimes :P (not always though)'

Younger players are the future of our sport, so it's really important that we encourage them and help them on their way to being good players. I have met some great young players who are really passionate about the sport and take the rules seriously but also some that want to win at all costs, so will resort to non hit taking which is annoying. But I think if you are honest and fair players, you will do well, but there will always be players that dislike anyone who is different to them, just ignore them and carry on!

@remf_tacticool asked: 'If you could have any firearm and get an airsoft version in pink, which would it be?'

If I could have any firearm in a pink Airsoft version it would be the M249 LMG with a hot glittery pink box mag. SO MUCH KILLING :D

@mattparky98 asked: 'Would you ever consider coming up to the north east of England to play airsoft?'

Absolutely! I am really interested in checking loads of new sites this year! I'm hoping to play a game at the Fortress in Liverpool with Mattthemusketeer!

@emmaaler asked: 'How did you get started in airsoft?'

My very first airsoft skirmish was in 2011 for one of my best friend's 19th birthday, I didn't really get into it then but then in August 2014 we organised a private birthday skirmish for my boyfriend and his best mates birthday at a local site and he brought me my own G&G FF26 so I didn't have to use a rental gun. I fell in love with my gun and the sport. I love the adrenaline rush you get when you're taking point and feeling the fear of knowing any second you could encounter an enemy and get taken out, it makes me push myself to play harder.

@airsoft_duck asked: 'What would be the most awesome Airsoft gun/piece of equipment to have?'

I think the most awesome piece of equipment I could have for airsoft apart from a pink M249 LMG would definitely be some Night Vision Goggles! It would be great to walk into a pitch black room and see everything, then take everyone out. I'm a big fan of spy movies, so these would be really cool!

Thank you for the questions! I've really enjoyed answering them and hope to do another in the future!

 

Kelly xo

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