Back-story:  Operation Dark Horizon is based around a small but important action that will take place in and around the capital city of Nepal, Kathmandu elements of the 2nd Battalion Royal Ghurkha Rifles are preparing to hold the capital knowing that the Chinese can not afford to bypass them leaving a Battalion of Ghurkhas to their rear on their advance into India, thus giving the British time to make ready their defences for the forthcoming Chinese onslaught into India.

Game Report

I can’t start this report without first of all mentioning the outstanding weather. I have missed a couple of games, but the marked difference between the last time I played at SYA – when it was still winter weather – and yesterday’s sizzling temperatures were amazing.

Expecting British spring weather I had brought just 3 litres of water in bottles with me, thinking it would be mildly sunny with a breeze. By noon I was wishing I had brought double that amount and my hydration back-pack.

Above: Just one of the very well turned out squads that attended 'Dark Horizons'. The British team, in their desert camos, were most appropriately dressed given the soaring temperatures.

Turn out
Taking into consideration the weather, it was amazing there was the large turn out that there was (about 120 people), as the pull of a Sunday barbecue at home with the family and friends must have been great. But the commitment of those who had signed up for this themed event was obvious, particularly when one saw the effort to meet the uniform restrictions on the day.

As well as the uniform restrictions, an ammunition restriction was also imposed. Each player was only allowed to carry 600 rounds on them, players having to hike back to the team Regen point to do any reloading. I did wonder whether this might put off some people who like their ‘hi caps’, but it didn’t seem to be a consideration.

Above: The Chinese team assembles for the morning's briefing. This was just a couple of the PLA squads who waited while the SYA staff gave the squad leaders their instructions and maps.

The game begins
The event was wonderfully organized, I thought. I liked the way the staff organized the squad leaders, and briefed them and then had them brief their squad leaders. Each squad was assigned a specific objective location on the large SYA Proteus site, and great emphasis was placed on the fact that today was not a day for lone wolves to saunter off on their own ‘missions’.

As part of 4-4 squad of the Chinese team, we were assigned to take the Police station and then move on to the Embassy, on the far right flank of the Chinese advance. We had no idea about the size of the British force we would face, or where they would concentrate their attack. As it turned out, we met a flanking force of roughly a similar size, but which – crucially – had some excellent snipers. This initially blunted our advance, and we could see that our Chinese team-mates to the left were advancing faster than we were.

Between the increasing heat and the moral sapping sniper fire, squad 4-4’s progress was very slow, and the British managed to keep us out of the Embassy for half the morning (kudos to their snipers).

Above: One of our (too few!) snipers. Guys like this were like gold dust and everyone seemed to be calling for sniper back-up to counter the British snipers who were frustrating our progress.

Whether it was the fact that we could not determine the size of the force that was up against us, or peoples’ awareness of the restricted amount of ammo to hand, it seemed to make everyone a lot more tentative than usual. It was good teamwork in the end that allowed us to break the stalemate and advance to take our objective – the last of the British deciding that discretion was the better part of valour and legging it out the back of the Embassy building.

The end of the morning was greeted with cheers of success from the Chinese side, as we had – it seems – taken a commanding lead over the British and taken all of our objectives successfully.

Above: My squad-mate, Joe, and myself (right), desperately defend the Police Station against a large British attack. We took and re-took this building again and again. On this occasion we pushed the Brits out, only to have a 'grenade' tossed through a window to wipe us out - my ears were ringing all the way back to Regen! Photo credit: SYA staff cameraman

As the day – and the heat – wore on…
At the start of the afternoon session we soon found that things were not going to be quite as straight forward as the morning’s battle. For a start, the sun had really begun to beat down on us, and secondly the SYA staff had a few cunning little strategies up their sleeves to make things even more ‘interesting’

Squad 4-4 found itself transferred to the defence of the airport. And it didn’t take us too long to realize that we had been really thrust out on a limb, with our small force defending the hangers with British elements facing us on nearly three sides!

‘A suicide mission!’ Our squad leader rather pessimistically put it. This turned out to be somewhat prophetic, as our squad was almost immediately over-run and wiped out by the advancing British.

After Regen we attempted to regroup, but once again good marksmanship from the British side kept us from any organized counter attack on the airport.

The rest of the afternoon seemed so much hard work, with attack followed by counterattack on both sides. We seemed to take a building only to have a large force re-take it moments later, and generally the British seemed to had re-gained the initiative after the mornings mauling.

The rest of the day was a hard slog of building up numbers to assault, a frantic battle followed by a long, long walk to Regen before starting the whole process all over again. But as far as I could tell, the Brits were slowly pushing us further and further back on the right flank.

Conclusion
As you can probably tell from the way I have written this report, the whole event was very immersive and believable. My friends and I really got into it, and took the mission objectives very seriously – and we felt like we actually worked really hard all day!

Right: My latest acquisition - the CYMA all metal and wood AKM. As it turned out the weight of this lovely replca only added to the weary slogs back to Regen! But, on the up side, the additional range it had proved very useful as we struggled to cross the open areas between objectives.

The organization of the event and the standard of marshalling was excellent, which helped us concentrate on the game and not worry about things like cheating or cheat calling. Not that there seemed to be much of that – although I have to say that as the day and the heat drew on there were a couple of flare ups, with tempers – literally – boiling as the sun battered down on us.

I can’t blame these few guys who ‘lost it’ as the conditions were as extreme as I have witnessed so far in my short airsofting career. The heat really wore people out, and made some players – understandably – irritable by the end of the day.

All in all, it was a fantastic day, an excellent themed event and a very taxing game. But I think everyone came away feeling that they had really played hard. It was a great feeling.

Link to my complete Flickr photo gallery of the day: Ranger's 'Dark Horizons' album

Well, if today is anything to go by, Sunday will be a bit of a scorcher!

It will be nice to get back into sunny airsoft, although this does mean I will have to make some special preparations. Gone, for example, is my autumn/winter loadout and in comes my spring/summer kit. Chief among this is my new purchase of some Under Armour Hot Gear base layer clothing - it will be interesting to see what this stuff is like and whether it keeps me comfortable if the temperature starts to climb!

Additionally, this is my very first SYA theme event. Called 'Dark Horizons' it pits a force of British (wearing base tan - desert DPM or Yankcam) against a force of Chinese PLA (dressed in base green - DPM or woodland). The background story is:-

Operation Dark Horizon is based around a small but important action that will take place in and around the capital city of Nepal, Kathmandu. Elements of the 2nd Battalion Royal Ghurkha Rifles are preparing to hold the capital knowing that the Chinese can not afford to bypass them leaving a Battalion of Ghurkhas to their rear on their advance into India, thus giving the British time to make ready their defences for the forthcoming Chinese onslaught into India. [SYA]

I will be - of course - playing OPFOR (Chinese in this case). I would have liked to go the whole hog and turn up in something Chinese (US Woodland would have done, as the PLA did copy this camo at one point), with a nice Real Sword Type 97! But money being tight, it will have to be my Russian Tiger or DPM with an AK.

Being a big Battlefield 2 fan, it would be a terrific laugh to turn up as one of the PLA characters from that game. But time and cash flow are against this (sadly).  

There is an ammo restriction on this one (600 rounds only refillable at the unit HQ), so this seems the ideal opportunity to get my pistol into action! It will give me an emergency back-up of an additional 40 rounds.

Another preparatory issue is hydration. Do I take a hydration back pack? Or will a canteen suffice. Bearing in mind I can refill over the lunch break a 1 litre canteen seems appropriate, particularly at the pace I intend to take the game (I am still not 100% after my illness and do not intend to run around - no matter how much Shaun screams at me to do so.)

Finally, goggles. This may be a chance to swap out my clear lenses for my smoked ones. Additionally, do I wear my larger tactical Bolles or my nice ESS V12s with their easy change range of lenses? 

AEG of choice: CYMA AK74
Secondary: SIG P229
Rig: M23 Pioneer chest rig
Camo: Russian Tiger green base

After an absence of three months I am raring to go - and intend to really throw myself into this one. Match report to follow. 

Above: The sheer size of the SYA Proteus Camp site means that organizing interesting games for relatively small numbers has it's own peculiar challenges. But the SYA staff did us proud and kept the objectives and areas of play tight - making for action packed skirmishing! (Click pic to enlarge.)

Meet me behind the tank sheds!

This was my first game at SYA starting from the 'tank sheds' as a base of operations, but I found them very cozy (in an agricultural sort of way, as the local farmer stashes his hay bales there). And Team AKA soon set up shop, flag and all, in front of our own little hay castle.

A very welcome neighbour was the Airsoft Skirmish's travelling store in the adjoining shed, and the proximity of so many airsoft goodies proved to much for some members of the team (particularly Legs, who bought a lovely little TM Vz. 61 Skorpion machine pistol).

Warm up (...literally, it was bloody cold!)

I'm always a little cynical about the tactical merit of the morning games, as I feel that they can sometimes be a little contrived and simply a pre-amble to the more intense afternoon semi-milsim event(s). But I was very surprised by the excellent quality of the first few games on this day.

The SYA war chiefs - Shaun and co. -  had devised a series of wonderful 'point to point' games based on extraction and patrol, which not only kept us constantly on the move, but also concentrated the point of contact between the two forces into a small area.

Left: The 'Ragtags' snatch a Pyrrhic victory from the jaws of defeat! (Click pic to enlarge.)

The first game event in particular, where we had to get a downed 'Dutch missile' from point 'A' to point 'B' –  was a corker. Either team took it's turn to be the hunters or the hunted, as we either tried to evade detection and extract the 'package', or searched the compound for the team with the 'package'.

Of particular note was the 'Ragtags' team effort, for their superb self-destruction of the 'missile' to deny it's capture to the opposing team. Their thunderflash nearly took out the whole tail fin of the mock missile!

If you go down to the woods to play...

At this point I have to relate my own version of how Joe – my team mate – and I got 'lost in the woods'. In actual fact we didn't really get 'lost' as such, but just completely detached from the main game as it moved passed us and to the far side of the camp...

While the main battle went on way to our far 'right' and out of ear-shot, my 'opo' – Joe – and myself were actually embroiled in our own little private war with a section of  the Yellow Team, who outnumbered us 7-2. Apparently, the group of Yellows were just as oblivious as we were to the fact that the game had ended, some way away and some time ago.

Eventually a search party was sent out to look for us and tell us the game had ended 5 minutes hence, and we were rebuked by our team mates for holding up the start of the next game....There's gratitude for you!

Afternoon delights

If anyone thought that we had had enough frantic running about in the morning session, then they were in for a big surprise. The pm games were just as fast paced and intense, with the SYA staff constantly cajoling us to 'push, push, push'!

There was no let up in the tempo of the battling well into the late afternoon, and the 'house to house' combat was very aggressive indeed. Luckily, everyone was so good natured on this day that despite the ferociousness of the CQB inside the camps buildings, no one lost their rag, and as far as I could see there were no 'calling out' or heated disputes.

All in all, it's actually hard to recall the events of the rest of the day, as we lost all track of time, so caught up in the game were we. The time simply flew by and before we knew it the day's end was called.

Conclusion

I love low turn-out days I have decided. And although Shaun will have a completely different view (having to make his bread and butter), I prefer days like these to the 'over-crowded' ones, where you can't seem to move without bumping into a large patrol of enemy. But there again, I do find that you do tend to be forced into tighter team work on on the  'sell out' events. So it's all swings and roundabouts.

But ten out of ten for the organisation of the day – we all enjoyed it.

Highlights:-

Best moment: Forget all the 'kills' - the wonderful feeling I got when I medic'd a team mate.

Worst moment: A nasty instinctive bit of shooting I did on one yellow that hit him right in the family jewels at close range. I apologised profusely (sorry again if you are reading this).

Best turned out team: SART, in their Police tactical black uniform

Best individual uniform of the day:  Tied between the guy with the Ghost Recon loadout, and Eddie with his superb Russian Partisan.

Best weapon on site:  Afraid it was one on the Airsoft Skirmish stand - the Mauser Kar 98.

Best game of the day: 'Alamo' game (which we Reds won) - where we had to prevent the opposition getting to the 'Alamo'

--- With thanks to the South Yorkshire Airsoft staff, and my team mates on Team AKA. 

Above: Freezing fog makes planning an airsoft outing a difficult proposition. Not only do you have to worry about what to wear, and pack - but travelling becomes a issue. Driving home on icy roads, in thick fog on a dark night is not everyone's idea of fun!

Trying to cover all the bases - packing wise - is a bit of a  problem in airsoft, the main issue being the space in the car. Because I rely on lifts to and from my skirmish site of choice, packing has to be kept to just the essentials. So while it may seem a trivial point, whether or not to take that big winter coat and wet weather items does play on my mind.

 I look on with envy at the guys who arrive on site in a works van, and have all the space they need (although, what the Police would think about stopping a 'mobile armoury' is perhaps a different matter!).

So keen am I to wear my new Spring camo, that - in the end - I may just have to bear the cold and freeze! 

Still, Moonskank provided me with a nice photographic record of Team AKA's activities. Below is a photo which epitomises the team's philosophy of 'enthusiasm over authenticity'!  Thanks Moonskank.

The full album can be seen here: Moonskank's Flickr airsoft photo set 

This was an 'Open Day', so no theme for this one and therefore everyone wore pretty much exactly what they wanted. Teams were determined by the wearing of either a red or yellow arm band. Once again, we chose to play on the Red team as it seemed to be apt, what with out Russian army theme.

TEAM LOADOUT

This particular visit marked our first attempt to create a team loadout. We were going for a Russian army look, to counterbalance the plethora of US/M4 style impressions.

Our uniform is based on the fur-collar type military parker, numerous bits and pieces of Russian gear finished off with, of course, various models of Kalashnikovs. Wayne sported the most complete outfit, resplendent in his Russian beret, shirt and insignia, but we will all get there in the end we hope.

I was very pleased with my Russian M23 ‘Pioneer’ chest rig. Its 4 double mag pouches are excellent for holding my newly purchased set of 6 mid-cap AK magazines, and I found it very comfortable to wear.

The ‘Russian’ parkas were actually Czech army issue, but being Olive Drab in colour they are fairly generic, and at least they were Eastern European (and at just £20 each they were excellent value). Later we all want to have proper matching Russian ‘Flora’ VSR camouflage uniforms. Nevertheless, this impression isn’t a bad first attempt in my opinion (people got the idea).

THE GAMES

As usual, the SYA staff started us off with a couple of light-hearted ‘warm up’ games. I really liked the ‘pick up the bomb’ objective based race, but it seems I was in the minority.

 Left: 'Team AKA' - (from left) Dewey, Craigy and Comrade Wayne (I'm holding the camera!).

But, you can’t please everyone and the morning games are always less serious affairs designed to get the guys like me – who aren’t fit – ready for the main event of the day, the afternoon ‘Milsim’.

Nobody was disappointed with the afternoon game. Without doubt, it is one of the best of all the ‘Milsim Lite’ type games I have played at SYA thus far. It was well thought-out, tactical and interesting, but easily understandable (there wasn’t the usual clumps of players scratching their collective heads wondering exactly what the next objective was).

TACTICS

Action was continuous and flowing (as the objectives slowly changed throughout the afternoon). Dewey and I finally got our shit together, and really clicked with the ‘leap frog’ style two man ‘search and destroy’ patrol technique.

Left: Dewey and his new 'baby' - his Classic Army SLR105. Kalashnikovs were the the team gun on this day, in a variety of flavours. I myself was armed with my new CYMA AK74 031 - which performed faultlessly along side the more expensive CA versions. 

It wasn’t rocket science; one of us would pick a good covered spot, and then they other would manoeuvre either to their position or to the next best spot – then the first person would do likewise. In this way we moved forward, one person covering the others movement and we made steady progress from one objective to the other.

It was very reassuring, and efficient, knowing someone had your back as it is usually while crossing open ground from one piece of cover to another that you get picked off. But now, if an enemy showed himself at a window or doorway he was either shot out or sent scuttling for cover by my cover man (Dewey, or vice versa).

Yeah – ok, obvious maybe – but it’s amazing how many players neglect basic tactics such as this. I literally halved my number of visits to REGEN, and doubled my kill rate by using this tactic, and Dewey was very happy too.

SUMMARY

All in all it was a very good day. We made what I think is our first outing as a real team (though we desperately need to sort out proper ‘comms’). We also received and tested out a lot of new kit, and I think we really made some headway with utilizing good tactics.

Left: it was Craigs first airsoft outing, here he is in his hired DPM camo and CA M16. Not very 'Russian', but it's always a good idea to try new things out before jumping in feet first with lots of expense! As it turned out, he seemed to enjoy himself. 

Overall, there was a lot to be pleased about, and this extended to how the day was organized and how other players conducted themselves. There was, as usual at SYA, no bad sportsmanship or cheating that I saw, and it was all very good natured.

Our one misgiving was the lack of proper conveniences. The original site Portaloos having been burned down by vandals (so not SYA’s fault). Nevertheless, we certainly look forward to some eventual replacements – we are only playing soldiers after all!

I’d give the day 4 stars out of 5!

Related Links:-

> South Yorkshire Airsoft - Proteus Camp page
> Airsoft Skirmish - our resident airsoft retailer on site on the day

I'm unsure what the turn out will be like, between the post-Christmas lethargy (due to too much turkey) and the bitterly cold weather we may see only a lower than normal attendance. But that doesn't matter much, because - ironically - our 'team' will be fielding it's largest number of members so far.

Left: 'Team AKA' badge - our new team insignia. Born of our obsession with AKs and Soviet/Russian military gear (idea by Dewey).

Joining Dewey, 'Legs' and myself will be Murdock and Moon (Alex and Craig).

We're having to really pool resources to support the extra kit needed (my AK74S once again will be the team loaner), and uniforms will be something of a mish-mash of whatever we have to hand. But, the added fun to be had with our larger group is certainly an exciting prospect.

Full report to follow. Merry Christmas all!

The day started off a little worrying, as we were forecast to have torrential rain. Now playing at soldiers is one thing, but actually having to spend a day soaking wet and cold while playing airsoft is something you have to be in the right mood for. And I have to say, I wasn't really in this mind set, so as we - Dewey, Wayne and myself - drove to SYA we were all glad to see that the predicted wet weather didn't seem to be hitting our part of the world.

The Arrival

The pre-game set-up in the car park is something of a enjoyable ritual in itself. It gives you a chance to 'psych' yourself up, as well as catch up with old aquaintences as well as making some new ones.

Airsoft really is a 'sport' like no other I have ever played, as 60% of it is really about meeting people. I chatted to more new people in the hour we spent in the car park that morning than I have  in the three weeks between this and my last visit to SYA.

Unleash the dogs of war!

The big bit of excitement for me this visit was the first use of my modified and slightly upgraded Classic Army SA58. As I realized it would be some time before I could afford the long barreled Star L1A1 SLR that I had been coveting, I had taken the unusual step of having a longer barrel inserted into my 'Baby FAL' to give me some 'oomph' in the open ground engagements.

So it was a nightmare scenario when less that 10 minutes into the day's gaming my AEG let out the most sickening 'shriek' from the gearbox area and failed to function any longer!

Yep - the consensus was that my gun had 'stripped a gear'. Thus, I had to slowly trudge back to the car park, fearing I would not be able to take any more part in the days proceedings (having lent my back-up AK74SU to a teammate in need).

Luckily the site 'armourer' took pity on my obviously miserable demeanor and lent me a nifty little TM 'Spetznas' AK! Hoo-rah!

Back in the fray

Shaun - the site 'commandant' - had devised some nice missions, the goals of which were floating  objectives which we had to obtain possession of. I was on the Red team, and I quickly came to realize that the Yellows were extremely highly motivated on this day. Not one inch of ground was uncontested by the Yellows, and they seemed to be everywhere and firing from every doorway and window.

Whether it was because I had my enthusiasm slightly dented by my AEG failure, or because of the still gloomy weather, I felt there was a disjointed and sluggish 'feel' to the Reds game. We found is very hard going, and progress was slow. On timed event we were way behind the yellows, who seemed to have their 'mojo' on!

A funny thing happened

Airsoft being airsoft, you can't stay depressed long though and soon the comic moments started to materialize.

First of the day was a 'log jam' of Reds trying to take out a couple of yellows in a building who refused to be dislodged. Even the lobbing of a pyro grenade into the room turned bad as the enterprising Yellows simply lobbed the darn thing right back out the door at us! The chaos that ensued as a gaggle of hapless Reds dove for cover was typical of the rest of the days proceedings.

Truly, the Reds on this day were like cast from a 'Police Academy' movie! 

A sinking ship

Little could be done to turn the Red game around. Poor old Shaun and the rest of the marshals screamed and congolled us to raise our game, but while performance was good in patches the overall result was frustratingly  unfocussed...

I'm sure were I a Yellow I would be telling you just how brilliant the day was - memorable even (as in my first two days games at SYA it was the Reds that were dominant). So once again, the theme of taking the bad with the good came to mind as I, in the end, had to accept that this wasn't going to be the Reds day.

Small comforts

Not everything was bad though (bad in tactical terms, not in enjoyment terms I hasten to add). The comic moments provided plenty of distractions, perhaps too many really. Our hearts went out, for example, too the poor old Yellow who very publicly was shot in the most tender of places, accompanied by the yowls of sympathy from either team as they witnessed him crumple in agonising pain. Ouch!

I made my first ignominious grenade team kill - a moment we later re-enacted for the camera! And general hilarity ensued as one Yellow decided to do a little dance for me as I lit him up at extreme range - his Jacksonesque jig somehow avoiding all my BBs, which even amused one of the Marshals.

A big thank you

Despite my lack luster performance and failure to get into the days events fully, this in no way detracts from another well organized and enjoyable day at South Yorkshire Airsoft. I am sure everyone will have different versions of how they thought the day went, but one thing I think we can all agree on was how well the day was organized and how - once again - fair play was the real outright winner on this day.

A big thank you goes out to all at SYA, staff and members, because despite everything I came away with a smile on my face. And when all is said and done, isn't that really what airsoft is all about - not who wins or loses. 

> Link to SYA website: South Yorkshire Airsoft
> Link to my Flickr photo album of the day: SYA 9th December 2007

The first thing is that all important weather forecast - and sad to say (this is England after all) that it's going to be heavy rain! This means packing a set of rain proofs - in my case a DPM rainproof poncho - and some extra clothing.

I still haven't found the ideal wet weather clothing solution for me, although I am considering a Gortex SAS style DPM smock, and maybe some Gortex over-trousers. But, at the moment I really fancy trying out my poncho - and expect the appropriate amount of leg-pulling about wearing it!

Everything else is pretty straight forward, battery check-list (checked and charged), AEG check, accessories, safety equipement, BBs and money! (I am starting my battery charging and AEG test fire routine tonight so I can sleep soundly on Saturday night.)

Three new items are accompanying me to South Yorkshire Airsoft this time, including a set of airsoft grenades and my 'new' Kalash AK74SU. Although the AK isn't spanking new, it's the first time it's being fired in anger - not by me, sadly, but my a team-mate who is in desperate need of a AEG for the game. 

I just bought four 'dry pea' frag granades, and a couple of 'smokes'. I was caught out in both my first two games where I needed to clear a room, and ended up getting shot because I had to go in and try and clear with my AEG.

The final new bit of kit that's going with me is a SenSei mesh type mask. I am still struggling to find the perfect  face protection for me. But aside from trying something new, I have a hunch that in heavy rain the mesh mask *may* have an advantage over poly goggles. With plastic goggles I think I will be fighting the dual irritation of fogging and rain drops on the lenses!

I was supposed to be trying out a forth new bit of airsoft gear on Sunday - biodegradable BBs. But the idea of mixing these with the promise of torrential rain makes me feel very uneasy. I will just have to try and ignore my feelings of guilt about my crimes against the environment!

Finally, I am taking a camera for the first time. I found an older digital camera of mine, it's just a 3 mega pixel, but it will be better than nothing. Most of all, I won't be so worried about dropping it, getting it wet or getting it shot!

I'll follow this post up with my pre-travel 'bag check' (probably just a line or two and a photo of my kit layed out). 

However, as far as I could see people weren't 'thin on the ground', as everyone made a special effort and enthusiasm made up for the lack of numbers. There always seemed to be enemy around every corner!

Game formats...

Shaun and the guys from SYA organized some wonderful and varied games for the day. Starting us off with some fast and furious 'pursuit' games - where one team chased the other to a pre-determined location where the persued made a final stand against the clock. Despite my lack of fitness, I really enjoyed these games, and they certainly warmed us up for the rest of the day.

The afternoon was one long game of floating objectives, the goals passed by word of mouth at Regen. Those that had comms really benefited, and I soon learned to hook up with guys who had a radio.

I had a splendid time holding our first objective - taking and denying the use of the Tank Shed from the enemy. Three of us got to the sheds post-haste, and then set up a defence - and it wasn't long before a large body of the Yellow Team arrived to dislodge us.

But we certainly made them work for the ground, as we were picked off one by one. I was eventually left on my own as my pal Wayne was taken out by a grenade, but I avenged him buy shooting both his attackers. It was a hell of a defiant holding action!

Teamwork...

While my first game of airsoft was a little chaotic - huge fun, but chaotic - I really started to get some good teamwork going on this day. I sussed the knack of hooking up with a small group when coming out of Regen - and you soon learn to spy out those guys who seem to have a plan.

There were some really tense 'house to house' skirmishes, and the covering and signalling in the units I joined was excellent. It all made my friend Wayne and I appreciate the need for good communication skills and thinking things through more methodically - as opposed to dashing in all guns blazing.

Gear assessment...

Another good part of the day was trying out some modified kit. I had made some changes to my loadout based on my first game, I trimmed down my load, and repositioned what bits I did feel were necessary items.

Additionally I tried out two new pieces of kit; a Guarder 3 point sling and a pair of ESS Advancer V12 goggles.

The sling was an absolute God-send, freeing my hands to perform fiddly operations; like the map reading, refilling magazines and adjusting kit. I had read some posts on some airsoft forums debating the usefulness of a sling, but I can tell you now, debating the usefulness of a good sling is sheer nonsense. They are absolutely necessary.

Next I tried out the ESS Avancer low profile goggles. I had a few niggling problems with the larger Bolle tactical X500s I wore in my first game, including some fogging. The ESS V12s have an ingenious venting system that is supposed to dissipate any fogging.

Unfortunately, I found that the Advancers fogged even more than the Bolles! But, eventually, traced the problem back to the fact that in both my first games I chose to cover my mouth and nose with a balaclava in the first game and a camo snood in the second.

Covering your mouth and nose seems to exacerbate the misting problem, forcing your breath upwards into your goggles area. A member of the SYA forum explained that covering your mouth and nose means that your breath can be re-routed through your sinuses directly into your goggles! Hence the additional misting. So it's back to the drawing board (the quick answer is, of course, not to cover your mouth and nose).

Conclusion...

Saturday doesn't seem to be a convenient day for a lot of people to go airsofting, but it does have the advantage of you being able to rest up those tired muscles on Sunday. And tired muscles I certainly had.

This second airsoft outing was a lot more physically taxing for me, and I certainly felt the strain by the end of the day. But again, I surprised myself that I seem to be not quite as out of condition as I suspected I was. Even so, I have now determined to try and raise my general fitness to help me on game days. Nothing drastic, simply taking more walks and maybe some light excersising of my legs.

The last thing I'd say about this event was the fantastic level of sportsmanship among all those who took part. Moreover, people are now starting to recognize me and I get the odd smile and wave (even from the opposing team) which is very satisfying.

All in all, a wonderfully well organized day by everyone at SYA! I loved it.