Attending WWII airsoft events

Really? Which North? Gunman games are all southern, I see games in sussex, Bucks,Northamptonshire as well as those north of Birmingham most of which are still pretty much the Midlands. Anyhow,long drives are why most organisers allow overnight camping.

Northamptonshire

The clue's in the name, Ranj...

When I lived in Devon, anywhere past Bristol was considered Oop North or Up the smoke

As a South Londoner, anything over the river is the wild, untamed north.

When I lived in London it was anywhere north of Watford.

The 'North of England' is more generally considered to be Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire, Cumberland, Northumberland, Westmoreland and Durham (the list of modern counties is longer and I couldn't be bothered to type them).

Northern Britain starts even further up than that that, arguably somewhere in the vicinity of the Scottish border.

I've only been to three WW2 games in Northern England (one in Yorkshire and two in Manchester), all the rest have been 'down south'.

Cheers
Martin

whoooo we are not down south ! its the "Midlands" as a northern monkey thats as far as i admit i go

my times down sarf in Hatfield , Bracknell and Newbury all dark days where beer was pricey and so were the damm chips

and the words Chip Buttie gets you strange looks , that coming from sheffield was and still is hard to adapt to...

As another exiled northern monkey none of the current planned games seem to be in the far North at all. Four of them seem well within a 2 hour journey by Land Rover.
It is the fact I will be away with work that is stopping me booking on more of them.

Northamptonshire

The clue's in the name, Ranj...

Oddly enough, whenever I am travelling south I think I am getting to the south when I get to Northhampton services. It used to be less than an hour to St Albans which was home.

Oddly enough, whenever I am travelling south I think I am getting to the south when I get to Northhampton services. It used to be less than an hour to St Albans which was home.

I agree Ranj!
I've always thought the South to Midland border being on level around the border between Northhamptonshire and Leicestershire, and the Midland to North border being on level around the border between Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire.

Right well, looks like this thread has had very little effect.

There's potential that three of the most immersive WW2 events of the year, organised by people who've been doing this hobby for a VERY long time, are going to be cancelled for lack of bookings.

Messina, Hockwerk and Hut 9 all have insufficient numbers to make them happen. You need to book on to these events NOW if you want them to happen. Organisers, especially the hobbyists, can't assume that late bookings will save the day.

i'd love to go to Messina... but its 6 or 7 hour's driving
i wish i could afford Hockwerk
Hut 9 is just not my thing ,i hope it goes ahead and that everybody enjoy's it as i know it's dear to peoples hearts , i just like shooting people is all.
i am booked to Normandy and to Copenhagen so i am supporting all i can for now .
Gunman has opted to tell people he is in need of players asap so i guess we'l see if he get's some bites now people know the games in trouble ,i hope he get's the booking's .

For me distance is a factor, living up in yorkshire the vast majority of events are from the midlands down. The ones hosted by fireball are fine for me but anything much further than that becomes a hinderance Time-Money-distance wise.

i would have loved to go to san-marino and finances depending i will hopefully be going to messina although i wont know until much closer to the time if i will have the funds available.
Regarding the less combat oriented games such as Hut 9 they just dont appeal to me im afraid.

Unfortunately this is the main issue. The calendar has degenerated into a selection of themed events run by airsoft sites, and it is ironic that upon being renamed the WW2 Airsoft community forum, most of the community nature has vanished to be replaced by a series of advertisements for general themed games run by sites. Very few people travel to games now and under the constant refrain of "getting new blood into the hobby" there is fast occurring a situation where this is all the games that remain, with scant to no evidence that any of this mythical 'new blood' ever go beyond just attending the games there to 'got them interested'.

If you think a selection of site run themed open days, some of which are close to you, is great then you can stop reading now. There is nothing for you here.

Some people will have no problem with this, but I do. I have no interest in attending open days in WW2 kit even if everyone else is likewise (kind of) kitted out. True community/hobby games, which have all added something to some notion of a 'genre' and - even if they have failed in their intent - have done so with noble aims of trying something new, are progressively being pushed out of existence by intransigent site-run games. These site run-games do not work with other organisers to create a calendar but just lay their towels on the poolside and demand others move out of the way - all be it politely.

The games which fall by the wayside, which are pushed into harder to run months or left with no space to run (let alone being unable to get players because most will go to the simpler local event a couple of weeks later and not bother traveling) are the games I care about. The community run games. Without them there is no point frankly, I can just rock up to my local site in wool. I have traveled from Yorkshire to Portland to attend games - and yes it is annoying when there are so few north of Cambridge - but if you want anything more than a selection of skirmishes available up and down the country then you have to travel, there is simply not enough.... no other word but 'serious' players to support things otherwise. If you are not willing to travel for 4 hours to get to a game, you aint in the same hobby as me.

To the new blood that has arrived, or those that have only ever been to their local site skirmishes, you aint seen nothing yet (or maybe the more apt cliche would be last chance to see given the current state of affairs) as none of these site run games can cast a shadow on a true community event. They are far more immersive, they do not rely solely on props or site novelty to create an experience, but on the actions of all the players together and the strength of their game. They do not have to cater to a customer base and allow the kind of behavior that plagues other events (if you think the themed events have a great level of "sportsmanship" then, again, you aint seen nothing yet).

Recently someone, in reviewing a game to me, said "well, perhaps I was just spoiled by Hauptman Horn being my first game". Nope, they just got to experience what WW2 airsoft can be (and, what the hell, should be). But to keep it you have to get behind the wheel and drive. Community organisers try with all their might to bring things into the midlands but sometimes shit happens. Your site gets pulled, or your scenario demands a certain size/feeling.

There are 2 community games listed for this year (well, 3, but I don't shill for my own game - that is other people's job ): Messina and Hut 9. not your style? You will probably be surprised, most people have been after going to such things. Still not convinced? Suck it up. If you just spend the weekend drinking tea with the community it's better than the community being dead. Messina too far? Knock two of the themed open days on the head and put the petrol saved towards it - there are enough of those games around anyway.*

in short (and to increase my unpopularity by saying it) "supporting WW2 airsoft events" and "going to things listed in the events section" are now not necessarily the same thing I am afraid.

* To be clear I am not bemoaning the lack of people at my event - my event (copenhagen) is run on 'high quality/low quantity' numbers on purpose, and has enough support to go ahead. It is other games that I will not get to attend as a player that are dying - and that is what pisses me off.

Well said!

i'm sure i'm not the only person with family, for me my one day a month to play is all i get ,i'm sole provider for a family of 6 ,travel cost's alone can be a killer for me ,if i was single then there's nothing i'd love more than to travel far and wide to attend events but i can't just think only of me in my life ,to say i'm less committed is untrue ,what i have is other more pressing commitment's .

A very good, considered post Craig. One that I completely agree with.

As usual, I will continue to attend all the events I am able to, diary and hobby/life balance permitting. Surprised about the lack of numbers for Messina, another chance to wear tropical kit? Last years Crete game was awash with it, and Chester isn't that hard to get to.

Cheers
Martin

A very well considered post which certainly outlines some of the concerns I have also, although we are not quite both on the same page. I for one certainly enjoy what you term site run games, there is one that occurs just down the road from me run by super group of lads who make every effort to put on a well organised and enjoyable days gaming for what usually amounts for me to be a totall cost of about £35. To miss a fun day like this at that cost and not to support my "local community" would be extremely foolish and disloyal.

However as a WW2 airsofter I want to enjoy a wide variety of game styles, I am currently booked on Messina, Hut 9 & Copenhagen, all of wich will give me a unique and differant experience from eachother and from what you call site run games. However I echo your concerns that bookings for such events are currently worryingly underwhelming.

Is it because people are afraid to try something differant or is it the travel involved? I can understand the cost of attending some events is high, (well certainly for me as if it involves an overnight stop or two then I have the added cost of kenneling dogs which can sometimes bring the costs up to the £200 mark :shock): But the effort is well worth it.

So even though we are not quite on the same page I will echo Craigs call to arms to A) Be preparred to travel to at least one or two games a year and B) Be preparred to give other game organisers a chance, you may find that these games are some of the best you have ever attended

Totally agree, Craig.

For me personally the problem is that I don't drive so long distance games are always going to be tricky for me, as I'll have to rely on getting the train (which can be very expensive), or a lift/car share with someone (for which I'd obviously include share of costs etc.). I've expressed interested in both Messina and Copenhagen, and only for the latter have I got travel arrangements sort of sorted. I'm not pointing the finger at anyone or anything like that I'm just trying to highlight the fact that it's not as easy as jumping in your car and "getting to games". If I could I'd be at every game going and then some.

I think I've said before that WW2 airsoft is my more or less my only hobby/interest. I've only been to one game (Crete) and that was a year ago, give or take a few days. It's safe to say that I'm positively dedicated to WW2 airsoft but its purely logistics and finances that have prevented me from getting to more games.