ambush adventures (my local)has had over 100 teeth knocked out ,all confirmed not gossip or hear say.its no myth
Names and addresses please or it didn`t happen
Seriously, if that was my local site with that kind of record then I`d be asking why so many. Hot guns, dim players, poor marshalling ?. I must remember never to go there.its a really small site and gets a lot of people at very close range,the whole site is only two shots wide by three long and allows 500 fps snipers with engagement rules obviously.regularly over 80 players,its a horizontal hail storm,the complete opposite of what we do.
Poorly run then ? Too small a site for the number of players, and too high an fps allowance for snipers for that size site.
I don't like them and think they ruin all the hardwork getting everything else right.
Charlie
I have a small skewer hidden in the collar of my jumping jacket, and a razorblade in my gaiter, as well as my knife.
I think, reading over recent replies, that it is important to note that we are arguing a proposition that they be banned, rather than arguing that they actually SHOULD be. We are debating the abstract, as it were.
On a practical level you can never ban them from every organisers games, as there would be no way to enforce what people allow at their games. Likewise you cannot stop any organiser(s) choosing to not allow them at their games.
Obviously the answer is to allow them/disallow them as the organisers see fit. We are more arguing the merits of having them/not.
It does seem that the divide between those for and against masks is pretty much how can i say the senior player vs the more recent convert. Maybe the availability of such masks these days have led to the feelings about there usage. Just a thought.
It does seem that the divide between those for and against masks is pretty much how can i say the senior player vs the more recent convert.
That could be a shrewd observation. Some more experienced WW2 era players could be edging towards the 'living history' end, and want as much of a realistic experience as is possible. Whilst newer players might see WW2 airsoft as an extension of the normal open day but with different kit.
I`m not sure if this would hold up to close scrutiny, but I`ve seen evidence of it on the Nam forum where the odd newcomer has come on asking for advice on the least seen loadout or the rarest camo. A sort of carrying over the open day mentality of turning up in the gucciest kit to outdo the player standing next to them almost as if it`s a fashion show.
Both WW2 and the Vietnam conflict by and large were fought by forces with a large amount of uniformity in their national uniforms, something which some new players can`t contemplate, after the vast number of types of modern camo encountered at open days.
I think the two basic arguments at either end of the scale are facial safety and immersion. If you put those two at either end of a see saw then presumably the 'living history' players would lean more on the immersion end whilst some newer players who are only in it for the kit would lean on the facial safety end.
As I have said I don't like them and never will but I respect peoples right to have a reason for protecting their face medical/ work related etc.
I have seen teeth shot out at an event and I am sure many would re-consider their merit if they lost a tooth in a bad way at an event.
Seeing many don't want to have face masks at events I may also consider a note in the rules suggesting that any used are not to be IN YOUR FACE 
stupid OTT big green Darth Vader style masks or horror masks.
I may also consider suggesting not to wear large black or mesh goggles.
I don't think banning them at my games would ever happen as it is just to hard to get people as it is, several games being cancelled this year is proof of that. At the start of both my games I wanted a restrictive kit level but had to relax it both times to get people in.
I am pleased this has been brought up by Wladek as it has given people a chance to voice their opinion on masks, and you can see many do dislike them as I do. I would be happy if I never saw an other one at a WW2 game but it is down to the individual to make the decision.
Free speech is expensive these days!
Hmm well I'm comparatively new and inexperienced but accept that while I'm not one I may have more of a re-enactor leaning and consider the experience/immersion and the research and attempts to get reasonably accurate kit as much a part if not the greater part of WW2 airsoft as the actual gun play. I do like the guns but only as a necessary prop, they're pretty ineffective in my hands.
Certainly Airsoft itself holds no appeal for me and the more I hear about it the less inclined I am to even consider attending an event.
I have a small skewer hidden in the collar of my jumping jacket, and a razorblade in my gaiter, as well as my knife.
First of all, facemasks are balls. Chomley's point about feeling more vulnerable without them is a good one and they ruin immersion. That's my £2.5bn anyway.
Secondly, at my place of work I am constantly dealing with members of the public and it would be very unprofessional of me to be turning up to work looking like I'd been pelted by very small stones. Last year I attended a normal open day and accidentally left my face mesh at home, I decided it would be all right and played anyway. I came away with a large, bleeding welt on my cheek thinking nothing of it. When I arrived at work the next day I was almost immediately sent home by my boss and spent the next two days at home not getting paid until it had healed enough that I was allowed back to work. I can't run the risk of this happening again as a) I need the money and b) I would probably lose my job.
This is bollocks. I'm not saying it didn't happen, but your boss has contravened about four different employment laws here and you could have taken him to court over it. Imagine you'd been injured in a car accident or mugging. What if you have an illness that caused facial scabs or scarring?
I totally agree that a mask makes you feel more vulnerable (which is good), that shots to the face don't hurt to much and that losing teeth is a rare occurrence. I also get that these aren't open days and the volume of fire is a lot lower, but that's not always the case. Take The Drop, the action was small skirmishes for the most part but near the end of the second day we had all the Germans bunkered down at the top of a hill with the Brits and Dutch desperately trying to breakthrough. There was an awful lot of plastic being thrown up and down that hill at that time and it would have been very easy to have caught some in the face.
I've noticed that several people have said that the masks 'ruin' the immersion and that I think is very harsh. Does my wearing a tan mesh over my face ruin the immersion more than the fact that it sounds like you're holding a sewing machine? I can understand them detracting from the immersion but I find it hard to believe that they ruin your day.
I guess what it all boils down to is, it's the organisers choice. If they want to ban face masks that's perfectly within their rights, if they decide to allow them then we have no business telling them otherwise.
Does my wearing a tan mesh over my face ruin the immersion
Yes. Completely.
more than the fact that it sounds like you're holding a sewing machine?
The sewing machine looks like a real gun and my disbelief is suspended. Your face mask looks like a face mask and my disbelief becomes very real.
I can understand them detracting from the immersion but I find it hard to believe that they ruin your day
Then believe. Seriously, if your employer is so hardarsed about you coming into work with a blemish-free phizzog then this isn't the hobby for you. Nor is football, cricket or even shaving for that matter.
I can understand them detracting from the immersion but I find it hard to believe that they ruin your day
Then believe. Seriously, if your employer is so hardarsed about you coming into work with a blemish-free phizzog then this isn't the hobby for you. Nor is football, cricket or even shaving for that matter.
I guessing He enjoys and has fun so I'd say it IS the hobby for him
Now when reading up on event feedback I have never seen anyone say "My entire weekend was ruined because some players wearing face masks". Airsoft is only one part in my life, to lose a tooth would effect many parts of my life than I would like. Now if this was the real thing I don't believe many of you would find it fun at all, I like airsoft for that reason, I like period airsoft as I enjoy dressing up in the uniforms and probably I find the reason why I find airsoft fun is that I'm not goning to die and I'm not killing anyone.
Yes I'll admit I want to try tactics used in WW2 and get an insight on how it feels but at the end of the day it's airsoft
I guessing He enjoys and has fun so I'd say it IS the hobby for him
You mean games that allow full face masks are the hobby for him. I agree absolutely.
when reading up on event feedback I have never seen anyone say "My entire weekend was ruined because some players wearing face masks"
That's because up until now we've all just rolled our eyes and accepted the "safety" proviso. In a move of inspired genius, Craig has spotted that this excuse is cobblers - if safety is a priority then the correct course of action is not to play at all, which is a choice that is offered. These particular games disallow face masks, if that's not to your tastes then don't book on. Other games may allow them and if that's not to my taste then I can choose not to book on.
I think I'll run a little poll to see if I'm in the minority of people who feel this way.
when reading up on event feedback I have never seen anyone say "My entire weekend was ruined because some players wearing face masks"
That's because up until now we've all just rolled our eyes and accepted the "safety" proviso. In a move of inspired genius, Craig has spotted that this excuse is cobblers - if safety is a priority then the correct course of action is not to play at all, which is a choice that is offered. These particular games disallow face masks, if that's not to your tastes then don't book on. Other games may allow them and if that's not to my taste then I can choose not to book on.
Also there is the first law: Politeness after an event. It is not, in all honesty, feedback really.
I guessing He enjoys and has fun so I'd say it IS the hobby for him
You mean games that allow full face masks are the hobby for him. I agree absolutely.
That's not what I ment and you know it
when reading up on event feedback I have never seen anyone say "My entire weekend was ruined because some players wearing face masks"
That's because up until now we've all just rolled our eyes and accepted the "safety" proviso. In a move of inspired genius, Craig has spotted that this excuse is cobblers - if safety is a priority, then the correct course of action is not to play at all, which is a choice that is offered.
So your saying play shouldn't wear helmets on bikes because there already running the risk of falling off?? or a tree surgeon shouldn't wear his safety gear as they still have the chance of cutting an arm or a leg off??
If that be your agrument why not just get rid of all face protection, it spoils the look
These particular games disallow face masks, if that's not to your tastes then don't book on. Other games may allow them and if that's not to my taste then I can choose not to book on.
If an organiser wants to disallow face masks thats up to them. I just don't see how a small detail like a half mask can't be overlooked
I think I'll run a little poll to see if I'm in the minority of people who feel this way.
You go do that. By the looks of this disscustion people whom wear face masks are in the minority. The choice to wear protection shouldn't be taken away from people because someone else doesn't like it
There's no reason to get into a fight about this. It's a difference of opinion. As I see it, you WANT others to not mind about your mask because you want to keep on wearing it. Trouble is, we DO mind as it's one of the few showstoppers in terms of immersion (of course it's OK for you because you can't see your own mask). Other showstoppers would be toting an FN F2000 or wearing white Reeboks.
There are loads of things that people obsess about that become utterly irrelevant once you start to play - the sewing machine sound FX that you mentioned earlier is one of them. It should make a huge difference but somehow it doesn't. All the guff about ladder laced boots and correct Waffenfarbe pales into insignificance.
There's no reason to get into a fight about this. It's a difference of opinion. As I see it, you WANT others to not mind about your mask because you want to keep on wearing it. Trouble is, we DO mind as it's one of the few showstoppers in terms of immersion (of course it's OK for you because you can't see your own mask). Other showstoppers would be toting an FN F2000 or wearing white Reeboks.
There are loads of things that people obsess about that become utterly irrelevant once you start to play - the sewing machine sound FX that you mentioned earlier is one of them. It should make a huge difference but somehow it doesn't. All the guff about ladder laced boots and correct Waffenfarbe pales into insignificance.
What I'm getting from you posts are they should be banned and anyone who wear a face mask/half mask shouldn't play
I'm not saying people shouldn't mind, all I'm saying is you should understand
and Surely a half mask isn't as bad as a modern gun or clothes 
also this whole thing has kinda turned into a monkey fecal throwing match
Well it shouldn't be - I quite clearly stated at the outset that this was a debate. I could just have easily started off with a proposal that full face masks should be mandatory - it makes no odds. The objective of the exercise is to solicit opinion and discussion from all sides and to try and make people think about all the arguments, both for and against the proposition. It helps to come to a reasoned and considered opinion and perhaps, think about others rather than just oneself.
I'm 100% sure of the outcome of the poll and I'm 100% sure that of all the games to be run in 2013 you will come across someone in a paintball type mask, so those who are perhaps feeling persecuted (and they shouldn't be, your opinion is just as important as other's) then be assured there will be WW2 airsoft games for you to attend in the future. 
Surely a half mask isn't as bad as a modern gun or clothes
It is for me. Really 
Having done this for 5 years I'm now a lot more fussy about what games I want to spend money on. Maybe it didn't bother me so much in 2007, I really can't remember. Now it most definitely does. I've never mentioned a universal "banning" of masks. All I want is the choice to go to a couple of events every year and be assured that they won't be there. If that turns out to be a pipe dream then it's my problem, not yours.
With all the worry about dentist fees, I`d like to add that the last time I hit myself in the mush with a spanner and cracked my tooth, it cost me £22.50 to have it pulled. Less than the cost of a weekender. 
