Thanks to all the teams represented over the weekend, including:
The Duchy of Grand Fenwick, 256, FOD, Last Chancers and Order 66
First though: we can probably
all relate stories of how someone
cheated, and as an observer rather
than a participant I have seen my fair
share of it. But I want to state that
there is a difference between not
‘taking’ a hit and not ‘feeling’ a hit, for
“…with fuse burning
it prescribed a
perfect arc, dropped
through the camo
netting and exploded
inside the dugout...”
example as it bounces off a pouch. At
Gunman Airsoft a hit is a hit no matter
where it impacts, be it on you or any
part of your kit, including your weapon.
I want to congratulate all the players
from both days for playing with such
honour and integrity and especially the
player who, when told by one of his teammates
that he’d just been hit on the boot, immediately
had his hand up and took himself out of the
game – that’s what I call honesty, and that is
what airsoft is about!
The awe-inspiring moment came during the
assault on Poontang Palace, a difficult target
set atop a small rise, surrounded by slopes with
open arcs of fire and covered by camo netting.
Three defenders were well-entrenched inside
and had resisted every attempt to dislodge
034
January 2012
them for nearly 15 minutes, until a player called
JB took matters in hand – quite literally!
Although barricades at one end of the
position create a blind spot, the nearest cover in
that direction is a good 30 metres away. Armed
with just two ball grenades, JB stepped out
of the bushes and lobbed the first, which fell
short. Undeterred he launched the second and
I watched in slow-motion as, with fuse burning
it prescribed a perfect arc, dropped through the
camo netting and exploded inside the dugout,
killing all the occupants. You had to see it, but
believe me when I say it was awesome!
With both targets destroyed the team made
their withdrawal to the LZ and headcount of
live players. I’m not going to say who had most
players left alive because to be honest I don’t
think it really mattered. Everyone had had a
simply storming day and, judging by the smiles
and talk, there would be plenty of new war
stories down the pub that night!
Not for us though. Along with the players
who were staying on site it was time to stoke
up the fire, pull up a chair, crack open a beer,
wait for Josh to cook the chilli and get ready to
do it all again tomorrow! By the way, thanks
to members of local thrash metal band Scale
of Death for their impromptu, a cappella
performance. Most, erm, interesting!
Sunday saw slightly fewer players and it was
good see the young guns that had arrived being
made ver y welcome by their adult
counterparts.
Today there would be three targets
to find, with long-burning smoke
grenades being placed in the first
two (which had to be protected until
they burnt out) and a hand-triggered
explosive device for the final one,
before withdrawal to the LZ.
With fewer players it was hard
work for both sides and there were
some pretty intense fire-fights, with
casualties taken repeatedly on both sides.
In-field medics and mobile regen points really
came to the fore, as players could get back into
action far more quickly and, on more than one
occasion, fresh soldiers turned the tide of battle.
During the morning and afternoon games
both sides fought to a standstill and although
the first two objectives were achieved each
time, neither side managed to fight their way
through to the third so the result was a draw.
Back at the Safe Zone players talked
through the game and relived the action. You
can tell when it’s been a good day: there is a
kind of buzz in the air and the atmosphere is
one of knackered happiness! And at the end
of Guman Eversley’s first weekender there
were plenty of happy, knackered players! ■
GUNMAN AIRSOFT
EVERSLEY: THE VALLEY
Eversley, Hampshire RG27 0PY
Site type: Mostly woodland
Walk-on (day): £26
Walk-on (weekend): £46
Rifle hire: £20 (face protection,
camo jacket/trousers and mags
included)
Contact: 07854 277264
www.gunmanairsoft.co.uk