Josh has floated this idea twice in the past year or so in our hidden 'Organisers' forum but not one soul has really replied let alone taken up the idea. The truth is really that all organisers attend other organiser's games, even leading sides etc. so it already happens to a degree.
Frankly, there is no shortage of ideas or enthusiasm to organise or bods stepping up to organise - perhaps too much so - but it is proving slightly difficult to get paying punters. Both Josh's game have been cancelled this year - but happily all the rest seem to be going ahead including two later in the year not yet announced publicly. So not all doom and gloom!
By the way, a bit of chicken and egg here - players complain games aren't posted up far enough in advance yet players leave it until the last minute to book. Come on chaps, show some willing - if players aren't prepared to commit then are organisers going to put in time, money and graft to put on entertainment. A community only works by all sharing the pleasure and the pain. Players are part of the entertainment themselves, everyone needs to do their bit!
The cost of fuel is my main bugbear, if it costs me more than £50 in fuel then I find it hard to justify. Living in the arse end of nowhere, that gets me roughly 250 miles each way, to an area covering an arc from Southampton area or just slightly into Wales/Gloucestershire and anywhere in between, which doesn`t leave me much choice unfortunately.
Plus I`m 50 this year and my imagination is dwindling fast, to the point where I find it difficult to 'immerse' myself enough to be enjoyable.
The one thing I`ve noticed missing in WW2 airsoft is an annual event. As a couple of examples, open dayers have the NAE at GZ, Nam enthusiasts have the Combat South event. Both are held once a year at around the same time, at the same site, and attract a fair few bodies. People who attend have a fairly good idea of entry costs and dates well before the event is advertised, so they have plenty of time to save/book time off. And the events themselves are as much a social meeting as a game weekend.
Luckily WW2 airsofters don't have to wait for an annual event - they are available all year round. Having done two In Country events I can safely say, while OKish, the Nam scene isn't a patch on WW2 - in many, many respects.
Still, who is betting there will just be one annual WW2 airsoft event next year? Please make it not so!
Luckily WW2 airsofters don't have to wait for an annual event - they are available all year round. Having done two In Country events I can safely say, while OKish, the Nam scene isn't a patch on WW2 - in many, many respects.
Still, who is betting there will just be one annual WW2 airsoft event next year? Please make it not so!
I hear what you`re saying, but I think you misunderstood me slightly. I was picking up on the point of organisers pooling resources and ideas. I`m not saying there should be only one event annually.... but at least one regular event which is staged each year, around the same time, at the same site, at around the same cost (allowing for inflation), which acts as a pivotal annual meeting event for WW2 airsofters.
This would hopefully allow players who can`t get to many games, to at least plan ahead to get to at least one.
Whilst the Nam games at CS aren`t on a par to various WW2 events, the online booking system sells out quickly because people don`t want to miss out.... which must say something 
I got the meaning and that would be one of the reason why (for me) an annual shindig was one of the things I didn't like and why gameplay at WW2 events is different - you don't get hoards of peole piling in to the one event of the year, desperate to do the business.
It does of course have some merits as you outline but the fact of the matter is people can't be arsed to get to one of 10 or 12 games a year let alone one big 'special' one (which, by its very nature, many would shun). Hell, all WW2 games are special in their own way, if only folk would venture out of their front doors and find out. Yeah, it takes some effort. 
if only folk would venture out of their front doors and find out. Yeah, it takes some effort.
True and most games are easily affordable at around £35-£40. I was looking at the Chambois game as I`ve liked the idea of a mainly rifles game for some time. Trouble is it`s an 800 mile round trip for me, which would cost at least £115 in fuel on top of the game fee. On wages of less than 20k and a missus to keep, I can`t justify an expense like that even for something which is once in a blue moon.
I sometimes wish I still lived in Swindon, very central location within easy mileage of most places. I think that`s why there aren`t that many ww2 peeps in Cornwall. 
A fair-sized group of us (Midlands and further North) travelled down to Cornwall for a WW2 game just a few years ago so all things are possible and there are people in Cornwall itself that are interested, enough to run a game. If only someone would organise a West Country one... (dunno what happened to the Taunton? upcoming game).
I, along with the rest of the CiA team, organised games all over country not just at sites near home - a monumental amount of time and effort and mileage to run three or four games a year (maybe two or three planning trips to sites, trip to sites that were found to be unsuitable, plus the game weekends themselves). And players then reciprocated by making the effort to attend themselves. Games a re joint effort and made it all worthwhile. I certainly wouldn't do that now, players have forgotten that they are key to it all!
i'm with CW on the big game once a year idea, i wish i wasn't ,the spectacle of 50+ players per side would be awesome but trying to organize a game of that size and an attractive enough a scenario to get the players would be harder than any voluntary group could be reasonably asked to do,maybe impossible considering our varied interest in game style, not to mention like herding cat's.
armoury
m1a1 Thompson,sten mk2,mp40,stg44,sterling,mk2 bren gun,lee Enfield no4 mk1,Mauser Kar98, Walther ppk,smith and Weston m10 and Mauser m712
Give me a big enough hammer and a place to stand and I could fix the world.
i'll kill a man in a fair fight or if i think he's going to start a fair fight or over a woman or.......
a problem shared is a problem halved ,but an advantage shared is no advantage at all
if a job's not worth doing then its certainly not worth doing well
Think Josh's first arnhem game came closest to what would be the big years game. Was quite good to see that the unit you were involved with would have a different type of event on the whole. admittedly i only saw it from the allied point of view of course. But again it wont be possible as you cant please everyone so it would never be an all exclusive and therefore i think miss the point of trying to do it.
A fair-sized group of us (Midlands and further North) travelled down to Cornwall for a WW2 game just a few years ago so all things are possible and there are people in Cornwall itself that are interested, enough to run a game. If only someone would organise a West Country one... (dunno what happened to the Taunton? upcoming game).
I remember the Cornwall game well, run by some of the lads who went up to Josh`s D Day game at Candleston. Unfortunately the interest died out, the local players just wanted a Sunday blatfest at the site instead. They even tried introducing a Nam theme as well which lasted a couple of games, but again people weren`t interested in buying the kit.
I did ask at another local site but the interest wasn`t there and the land owner won`t allow overnighters which is no use to players travelling a long distance.
A couple of years ago a chap asked me to put on a stall at a model show down this way. Just a table with ww2 airsoft kit and a few vids running in loop on a laptop. Had a bit of interest from passers by. There were a few localish ww2 re enactors there who I knew from a couple of shows, and I put the idea of ww2 airsoft across to them seeing as they had the kit already. Hardly any interest, and one of them had the neck to tell me that ww2 airsoft was just 'messing around' when compared to re enactment.
A game as local as Taunton would be superb for me
i'm with CW on the big game once a year idea, i wish i wasn't ,the spectacle of 50+ players per side would be awesome but trying to organize a game of that size and an attractive enough a scenario to get the players would be harder than any voluntary group could be reasonably asked to do,maybe impossible considering our varied interest in game style, not to mention like herding cat's.
Frankly just a skirmish with set military objectives and all Allies vs all Germans would be fairly awesome. I could easily live without a larp-grade scenario just for a company-sized, not platoon-sized game.
Kitwhore files: S&S Lee Enfield No. 4, AGM Sten Mk. II, Tanaka Kar 98k, WE Luger P08
Wishlist: AGM Stg44, possible LE No. 4 gas project
Frankly just a skirmish with set military objectives and all Allies vs all Germans would be fairly awesome. I could easily live without a larp-grade scenario just for a company-sized, not platoon-sized game.
Yes but, it would be wank, because you'd just have what is called a "SISK" (skirmish in silly kit) and, no different from the normal "Special forces vs drug gangs/towel heads of your choice" games that money grabbers like stirling services run.
"All in" games are shit, because they cater to the lowest common denominator, with no effort required to fit the scenario and the players have no grasp of the concept of what WW2 airsoft is all about.
When I want your opinion - I'll tell you what it is!
I remember the Cornwall game well, run by some of the lads who went up to Josh`s D Day game at Candleston.
Oh, you were there? Gucie and some of the F&O/Grange Farm lads from up here went too. It was run by the site owners, KGB, some of whom had previously been to our first game up here. Yep, Rob, Victor and Jes were at D-Day too - Jes is still gagging for a SW WW2 game and did run a site on the cliffs that had beach access below. Would have an awesome Pont du Hoc game but too far for us CiA to recce and organise a game!
Yes but, it would be wank, because you'd just have what is called a "SISK" (skirmish in silly kit) and, no different from the normal "Special forces vs drug gangs/towel heads of your choice" games that money grabbers like stirling services run.
Why so? It does not have to be any capture the flag or team deathmatch crap with random people. Squad leaders can still be selected, proper objectives assigned, ammo limits can still be in place (which will nicely prevent blaaaart). It could be run as a milsim, not a Call of Duty. As it is I have only two games this year I can attend with my kit. But all right, I understand the objections.
Kitwhore files: S&S Lee Enfield No. 4, AGM Sten Mk. II, Tanaka Kar 98k, WE Luger P08
Wishlist: AGM Stg44, possible LE No. 4 gas project
The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round....
The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round....
My thoughts exactly. We've travelled back in time 7 years as well.
When I want your opinion - I'll tell you what it is!
I remember the Cornwall game well, run by some of the lads who went up to Josh`s D Day game at Candleston.
Oh, you were there? Gucie and some of the F&O/Grange Farm lads from up here went too. It was run by the site owners, KGB, some of whom had previously been to our first game up here. Yep, Rob, Victor and Jes were at D-Day too
Yep they`re still going strong albeit on a different site, equally boggy but with some interesting variations in terrain.
- Jes is still gagging for a SW WW2 game and did run a site on the cliffs that had beach access below. Would have an awesome Pont du Hoc game but too far for us CiA to recce and organise a game!
Unfortunately they lost that site. Owners stopped them holding events at the fort due to health and safety reasons I believe. Jez was head marshal at South West Wargames whose main site was the old shire horse centre just outside Plymouth. Would`ve made an outstanding setting for a ww2 game, I discussed it with Jez at the time but it wasn`t pushed.
I think we need to advertise this hobby differently, maybe Josh's idea of going and getting peeps to sign up at shopping centers is the way to go? Yes the hobby will take steps back but shit happens I suppose, WW2 is no longer in the spotlight sadly (Although with the 70th D-Day anniversary next year we may get a sudden drive of players). One of the biggest problems is the price of the hobby, which is sadly out of our control. The availability of WW2 guns can be a factor for some. The lack of readily available, cheap and reliable rifles is a bugger. I dunno, I'm just a newbie but these issues seem to be the most prominent to me. Lack of interest and lack of reasonably/cheaply priced guns and kit. I suppose we just have to try and find the solutions.
Dejan.
There's plenty of cheap WW2 guns available, much more than there were when this all started and, the used market is also very healthy. Also, I don't buy into the idea of the kit being expensive, especially when compared with going for an ultra modern loadout. The games are also generally much cheaper than the modern themed alternatives. Players really never have had it so good in terms of availability, choice and price of WW2 kit and weapons, it's a pity that so many end up just collecting the bloody things, instead of using them.
When I want your opinion - I'll tell you what it is!
Its like that in all hobbies though pete to a degree.
I'm really into miniature wargaming and spend a lot of time of various wargames forums.
One of them that i frequent is full of very passionate people who rave or complain about new lead figure releases, critique each other paint jobs, argue about the best rules etc (sound familiar) but when pressed... hardly any of them actually play games. They just buy and hoarde lead soldiers and quite often never even paint em.
On the groups facebook page they had a poll among the real hardcore posters and most of them last played a game over a year ago, only two or three actually play eveyr month or so.
Now thats a bloody boardgame/wargame, that something that they spend *hundreds* of pounds on and you could set up and play in three hours or so and they cant be bothered.
small wonder when our hobby requires you to be out the house for *three days* that people dont bother 
You're right though it's crap when people have all the gear but dont use it but its not unique to airsoft.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
