Right, lets get this where it belongs.
Coming out of general wibbling between me and Kroot about possibly joining potential eastern front games in the new year (we hope 'the loop' is such a success that it will start a trend).
Obviously this is a mainly eastern front idea (units encountered by western allies in Austria, Bavaria Hamburg and Denmark in 45 not withstanding), but what comments and suggestions do you have for someone looking into the possibility of an Axis Ally load out. Kroot has fixated on the Hungarians and while I am tempted, I can see a few reasons not to do so (I was looking at Russian, Gulag Rat/Rifleman and maybe Naval Infantry eventually).
Any others out there considered it? (or is it like the SCW, no-one mentions it here 
)
I have already discussed the reasons why it shouldn't be done, but somehow found my self being talked around to joining this mad idea. You could say he's waterbuffalo'ed me 
(ask the Vietnam tour of duty players about that!).
Breakdown, of the argument.
negatives:
- lack of opportunity to use,
- lack of affordable reproductions, Schippenfabrik is great, but a tad beyond our price range (1 suit +webbing = my entire spend for my annual holiday, Glastonbury festival ), and "off the shelf" is not always so fun to gather.
- next to no originals on the market
- it will likely be as fuzzy-ersatz as hell,
- Use elsewhere will be little to nothing,
- Not a huge amount of English Language material, (I war game them for WW2 so have about half of that material at hand, the half that don't cost body parts).
On its plus side,
- No obvious 'awkward' insignia,
- its a bit different,
- Ability to use German weapons and Russian captured weapons,
- No one this side of the Carpathian Basin will know if we got something slightly wrong? :slap
Looking further into it, it could theoretically be done relatively cheaply to something halfway between a look-alike and a near re-enactors standard loadout, sort of a good film-set extras level.
Kroot has connections, the sort that consider a community charge should have halberds and wear hose, so he thinks we are sorted on access to sewing skills. I've been practicing my google fu for references, images, suitable convertibles (the Swedish 6 pocket jacket for instance looks the least work for the jacket) and hooked up with an old associate who is into living History, and may be able to get some info/sewing patterns from a K.u.K. unit he knows.
Warnings of what not to do and advice welcome.
Mockery expected.
To the tune of "Mademoiselle from Armentières"
Napoleons army ran away, As you do
The guard stood firm for Frances Pride, As you do
They said the guard will stand and die
But we heard what their Colonel cried
It wasn't pretty I tell you.
Resistance is fertile
the Swedish 6 pocket jacket for instance looks the least work for the jacket
Just what I was thinking after seeing this photo! http://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/other/Hungarian_infantryman
Their greatcoats look very similar to '49patt/postwar Brit greatcoats too (which are rather cheap too!):
http://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/other/Funeral_for_Hungarian_Soldier
A Proud Member Of 'Team Spleen!' who play mainly at Gunman Airsoft, Tuddenham, Suffolk.
Carry on, it's a free world. 
Seeing as it proved difficult to muster a decent number of Heer Infanterie, I'm not sure how many would subscribe...
You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier
Two main problems as far as I can see:
1) yet another load of kit to be sourced & purchased (no matter how cheap, its still more kit)
2) few know anything about it, rightly or wrongly, so probably hard to build enthusiasm
Comrades in Arms have said publicly now that there won't be any requirement for players to gets more 'loadouts' (to use that horrible phrase) this year and that having covered a good spread of scenarios over the past three years we will be consolidating out of consideration to players pockets. We have more than enough to go on with what we have got for the next five years frankly without forcing players to fill houses/flats/garages with yet more uniforms! Its not stopping anyone else from organising other games of course, indeed the upcoming Kasserine Pass has added DAK kit to the mix, but for CiA at least, enough is enough for a good while. Lets get some use out of the kit we all ready have!
Worthwhile or not?
Well it's a direction I shall blunder into anyway 
As I don't have an Axis uniform it appeals to me for the eastern front. Hungarian troops were working alongside Germans all along the front so I'm sure it wouldn't clash too badly in most eastern front games.
I'm sure with the ppsh coming out the eastern front games will start to blosom.
I do have the luxury of having a whole room just for reenactment kit 
I do have the luxury of having a whole room just for reenactment kit
Luxury ?? I thought it was a necessity 
I do have the luxury of having a whole room just for reenactment kit
Luxury ?? I thought it was a necessity
I've given over the garage AND a spare room to kit and it's still not enough! Trouble is, there's always that shiney, new thing that appeals to us all that we have to have. I've got a ton of stuff I'll probalby never use but I keep it because I might need it.
Hungarian kit could be of use for Eastern Front events (even though the Hungarians didn't have an amazing combat record) but it's of limited use elsewhere. BUT, it's no more "niche" than Brit Royal Marines, US airborne, French resistance or DAK in my opinion. If you've got the money and the enthusiasm for it, then why not? Just don't expect to get a huge amount of use from it. 
When I want your opinion - I'll tell you what it is!
I think it's a great idea for a drinking uniform.
Personally I wouldn't go to all that trouble and expense for a skirmishing loadout if I'm da onlee Hungarian in da house 
Axis and allied weapons are all freely interchangeable between sides, so that's not really an issue.
As for "awkward insignia", that's really a personal thing. You can play a Heer soldier without displaying any swastikas at all by wearing a greatcoat, zelt or a camo smock. Volkssturm also weren't supposed to wear military insignia so that's another option.
Its a niche force in terms of airsoft for sure, despite being a far more significant force in the war than many more popular ones. If you want to do it and can justify the expense despite the limited use it will get then go for it I say. Its always nice to see something different. Hopefully there will be plenty of Eastern front events you will be able to wear it at in the future.
If you decide not to then you'll be more than welcome in the red army (or navy).
its been difficult enough just to get decent numbers in british and american line infantry kit.......
Some of the questions being posed are certainly worthy of answers here, and here are my answers:
First of all, please understand we are thinking of this as a team look for members of our loose clique called ‘C.R.A.P.’ (Caccaran Republic Army of the People, its from an old banana republic game background) rather than something for everyone to do.
I’m effectively running this up a flagpole to see who salutes, titters and who falls about in fits of giggles/apoplexy . And to see if there are any "what not to do" advice (apart from teh sensible do do it all )
Two main problems as far as I can see:
1) yet another load of kit to be sourced & purchased (no matter how cheap, its still more kit)
Ture, however as we are newbie’s, we are a bit behind the rest of you.
The eastern front does appeal, we are hoping to see more of them and possibly join some, but we have nothing for except something vaguely resembling partizans.
Ideally we are aiming for a western front look and an eastern front look for the group.
I was suggesting Gulag rats building up to Riflemen or Naval Infantry. We are also working on a post war soviet backed look (working title “real ‘C.R.A.P.’â€), and so there would be lots of opportunity to mix and match kit. But it appears we have a serious menshevik/SD/White element in the clique that refuse point blank to fight for that #!$%? Stalin even if Beria himself was waving a PPSh at them!
2) few know anything about it, rightly or wrongly, so probably hard to build enthusiasm
Primarily we are looking at doing this just within our small clique, though if anyone wants to join in, great.
Comrades in Arms have said publicly now that there won't be any requirement for players to gets more 'loadouts' (to use that horrible phrase) this year and that having covered a good spread of scenarios over the past three years we will be consolidating out of consideration to players pockets.
I agree, you reach a critical mass, though there is DAK and the relatively new front event of the "Boryszyn Loop". We are rather hoping that is a success and on the back of that, more eastern Front games come out of it.
As for "awkward insignia", that's really a personal thing.
Yes, but with group, for numerous reasons the whole Austro-German armed forces is a no.
I have friends in public office, and a local party is known for dirty tricks.
Our White/SD/Menshevik faction are equally anti the idea.
And my grandfather would come back and haunt me (he was one of the throng at cable street stopping the fascists march!)
To the tune of "Mademoiselle from Armentières"
Napoleons army ran away, As you do
The guard stood firm for Frances Pride, As you do
They said the guard will stand and die
But we heard what their Colonel cried
It wasn't pretty I tell you.
Resistance is fertile
If you decide not to then you'll be more than welcome in the red army (or navy).
Thanks for the Offer, I'm sure the NKVD have a special job or few for us.
To the tune of "Mademoiselle from Armentières"
Napoleons army ran away, As you do
The guard stood firm for Frances Pride, As you do
They said the guard will stand and die
But we heard what their Colonel cried
It wasn't pretty I tell you.
Resistance is fertile
its up to you mate, you go for whatever you want.
i personally wont be bothering with an eastern front impression as i have no interest in it. same with the war in the far east.there is enough NWE and NA/MED /ITALY stuff to keep me happy.
Here's a thought. How about the Brazillian loadout for the Italian campaign! (and that's not me 'waxing' lyrical)
I'm a hero with coward's legs.
Here's a thought. How about the Brazillian loadout for the Italian campaign! (and that's not me 'waxing' lyrical)
When snakes start smoking pipes, I''ll consider it,
errr....
Hang on!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoking_Cobras
Nah Poop!
Actually we have free french kit for that front (though not goumiers)
To the tune of "Mademoiselle from Armentières"
Napoleons army ran away, As you do
The guard stood firm for Frances Pride, As you do
They said the guard will stand and die
But we heard what their Colonel cried
It wasn't pretty I tell you.
Resistance is fertile
Whoda thunk it? I only realised they were there a few weeks ago. Viva o FEB!
I'm a hero with coward's legs.
What about basing an impression on Granville - he's H-H-H-H-H-Hungarian !! 
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Ah yes the Carpathian 2nd mounted delivery boys
Ah yes the Carpathian 2nd mounted delivery boys
Indeed, and mounted they were to, we have the evidence!
http://img373.imageshack.us/i/hungarianmadearmybicyclpo4.jpg/?a=V&ci=0&rt=3
To the tune of "Mademoiselle from Armentières"
Napoleons army ran away, As you do
The guard stood firm for Frances Pride, As you do
They said the guard will stand and die
But we heard what their Colonel cried
It wasn't pretty I tell you.
Resistance is fertile
Hi,
Personally I think making a quality Hungarian loadout doesn't worth for you if you only want to use it for airsofting. Well at least I wouldn't do it if I were you. An awfull lot of fuss (for example as you have already mentioned most of the literature is in Hungarian) for an impression almost nobody will recognize on your side of the Carpathian basin
But if you use a lot of look-a-likes and count-as-s maybe it can still work 
sooo...
I bet you already got some reference material still you can have a look at these pictures (the text is of course Hungarian 
)
http://militiahungarorum.extra.hu/elozetes.html#resz_uj
and here is a short video about the making of a wwII documentary with period music (just to get into the mood 
):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gUKkvjM ... r_embedded
Good luck if you don't give up the idea of being the first Hungarian wwii airsofter, the idea only made my day
K.u.K. unit he knows.
Sorry, no more K.u.K. after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. From the end of the Great War the army was called Magyar Királyi Honvédség, which translates to Hungarian Royal Army.
Cheers,
