Airsoft Action - October 2023
Even though we're currently having our annual vacation and office shutdown, here we go with the the very latest issue of AIRSOFT ACTION, and as usual it's a bit of a beast with 100 PAGES of free-to-read news, reviews, event reports from around the globe, and a healthy dose of attitude and airsoft opinion! Kicking off with our headline review this month Bill gets some serious rangetime in with the KING ARMS TWS 9MM SBR, an AR GBBR that actually uses G-SERIES magazine many of you probably already have for your handguns... why are more people not talking about this breakthrough gas model... we have no idea, but we'll certainly say our piece! Following on from there we have a first look at the all-new SGR 556 from G&G, the just-released ICS CXP APE SE,and the newest BATTLE ARMS DEVELOPMENT SBR AEG (courtesy of Larri in his first-ever AEG review!) from our old mates at REDWOLF! Then there's a further FIFTEEN SMG models that are moving on through the RED CELL testing program, along with a recap on the ROSSI NEPTUNE SAS six-months in! In terms of kit Bill reflects back on the clothing and gear that he used on the FAST TACTICAL training course he attended recently, and the good folk of the AA LEGION "GO GREEN FTW!" And then... THEN... we have our annual report from the AA crew that attended the NATIONAL AIRSOFT FESTIVAL in the UK, a BIG game report from Portugal thanks to Miguel, and our power-duo of Stewbacca and Anny firstly get "Inside LCT" for an update, and secondly bring in the lowdown on the DING DING CUP Steel Challenge in Taiwan, an event that AIRSOFT ACTION was honoured to support! So, you want more gear, more guns, more news, and more airsoft? You'll find a bit of everything airsoft in this issue, so kick back and get stuck in!
Even though we're currently having our annual vacation and office shutdown, here we go with the the very latest issue of AIRSOFT ACTION, and as usual it's a bit of a beast with 100 PAGES of free-to-read news, reviews, event reports from around the globe, and a healthy dose of attitude and airsoft opinion!
Kicking off with our headline review this month Bill gets some serious rangetime in with the KING ARMS TWS 9MM SBR, an AR GBBR that actually uses G-SERIES magazine many of you probably already have for your handguns... why are more people not talking about this breakthrough gas model... we have no idea, but we'll certainly say our piece!
Following on from there we have a first look at the all-new SGR 556 from G&G, the just-released ICS CXP APE SE,and the newest BATTLE ARMS DEVELOPMENT SBR AEG (courtesy of Larri in his first-ever AEG review!) from our old mates at REDWOLF! Then there's a further FIFTEEN SMG models that are moving on through the RED CELL testing program, along with a recap on the ROSSI NEPTUNE SAS six-months in!
In terms of kit Bill reflects back on the clothing and gear that he used on the FAST TACTICAL training course he attended recently, and the good folk of the AA LEGION "GO GREEN FTW!"
And then... THEN... we have our annual report from the AA crew that attended the NATIONAL AIRSOFT FESTIVAL in the UK, a BIG game report from Portugal thanks to Miguel, and our power-duo of Stewbacca and Anny firstly get "Inside LCT" for an update, and secondly bring in the lowdown on the DING DING CUP Steel Challenge in Taiwan, an event that AIRSOFT ACTION was honoured to support!
So, you want more gear, more guns, more news, and more airsoft? You'll find a bit of everything airsoft in this issue, so kick back and get stuck in!
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
AA LEGION<br />
UK - NAF <strong>2023</strong><br />
few choice little airsoft morsels!) and the 3.5 hour<br />
journey gave us a good chance to chat about our<br />
expectations for NAF <strong>2023</strong>. It’s always interesting that<br />
we all approach and game or event differently, and<br />
as a more active player than I right now, Ben’s input<br />
is invaluable to letting me create the annual report as<br />
whilst I’m schmoozing with our industry friends and<br />
getting the low-down on things he’s out playing…<br />
there’ll be more from him directly in a bit… Jimmy of<br />
course has a different agenda as he’s now on site to<br />
speak with the manufacturers present on a technical<br />
level, but suffice to say that we all look forward to<br />
another hugely entertaining event every year in our<br />
own ways …and that is exactly what we got at NAF<br />
‘23!<br />
NAF CONTINUES TO GROW!<br />
For our international readers, the UK National <strong>Airsoft</strong><br />
Festival (NAF) takes place every August Bank Holiday<br />
down at the Ground Zero site in the depths of the<br />
beautiful New Forest. The NAF/NAE has been running<br />
since 2007, when Ground Zero/Zero One made history<br />
by hosting what was at that time the largest airsoft<br />
event ever held in in the UK (and probably still is!),<br />
bringing in players from all over the UK and Europe.<br />
Again as I’ve said before, the NAF is just one HUGE<br />
celebration of airsoft, not just for UK players, but<br />
usually for players from around the world that make<br />
the pilgrimage to Ground Zero, and this year the<br />
player numbers continued to grow! The thought of a<br />
massive airsoft game involving quite literally thousands<br />
of players is my personal worst scenario though; we<br />
all know that sadly you get the odd “cheater” at even<br />
the very best game, and the chance of that happening<br />
with so many players in one place at one time means<br />
that this is magnified…<br />
Many players, even good ones that are always<br />
willing to give the benefit of the doubt decide not to<br />
attend the NAF for this reason, and having now been<br />
a number of times before, as I said last year when we<br />
were able to meet after the frustrations of lockdown,<br />
I think they are genuinely, truly missing out on a<br />
great “airsoft experience” even if they don’t play for<br />
a minute as the event maintains the warm, friendly<br />
“Festival Feel”, and I for one love a bit of that action!<br />
Many will say “don’t bother” when it comes to the<br />
NAF, but pay the “naysayers” no heed! This year the<br />
numbers were solid again, and 3,500-plus airsofters in<br />
one place is a truly a sight to behold, especially given<br />
some of the “fancy dress” options… Clone Troopers,<br />
Nuns with Guns, Templars in plate armour, and even<br />
Cap’n Jack Sparrow (Pirates? Where?)… you name it,<br />
you get it although our personal fave was one young<br />
player who mixed “Nam VC” with “Samurai”… he<br />
certainly put a big smile on our faces for his obvious<br />
enthusiasm!<br />
IT’S ALL ABOUT LOGISTICS!<br />
I am eternally impressed with the sheer size of the<br />
field and the diversity of terrain at Ground Zero, and<br />
that is just as you drive in!<br />
Ground Zero is situated about a mile from the<br />
nearest road on the private grounds of Somerley<br />
Estate in Ringwood, Hampshire, and boasts some 175<br />
acres of playable terrain, with a massive 50 acres of<br />
Safe/Camping Zone! Now you may find that latter<br />
number “overkill”, but I’m going to tell you that with<br />
thousands of bodies and all the varied entertainment/<br />
logistics/industry staff on site 50 acres soon becomes<br />
very, very small and intimate.<br />
The main Safe Zone is split away from the camping<br />
area and is almost a self-contained “festival village”<br />
in its own right. There are always a multitude of<br />
gear-sellers around the village, with Jo and family<br />
from Flecktarn UK, the Enola Gaye team, Flash Bang<br />
Smoke, Kydex Customs, and AIRTAC among the<br />
number and as always Ian and Dave (Ratty and Rocky<br />
to their friends!) with the VIPER TACTICAL stand who<br />
made a one player each day VERY happy with their<br />
“player number locked crate” gear giveaway!<br />
“FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL READERS THE UK NATIONAL AIRSOFT FESTIVAL (NAF) TAKES<br />
PLACE EVERY AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY DOWN AT THE GROUND ZERO SITE IN THE DEPTHS OF<br />
THE BEAUTIFUL NEW FOREST. THE NAF/NAE HAS BEEN RUNNING SINCE 2007”<br />
www.airsoftaction.net 79
Change language