Tactical Pith Helmet

Pisses me off to have to lend spares to others, especially when loaned equipment is not cared for either.

I use Ant Supplies all the time. They are so cheap that I actually have a stock of bits to stick on future rifs.

You're too old when they nail the lid down. One chap won gold for his shooting at the 1908 Olympics, aged well over 70.

Indeed a highpoint that we have never again reached. Since the Esbjerg ferry is freight only post-Brexit, perhaps this provides inspiration for your route Jacob? Don't worry about all the pettifogging detail with papers etc. Just flash 'em your Union Jack Y-fronts and land where you damn well please.

Obviously if armed with the correct grade Coleman moustache, one could indeed go all Bulldog Drummond and simply thrash some respect for the Queens subjects into the blighters.

So... This is (I think) the form that you have to complete and submit to the local authority of the area of Germany that you enter the country through. This means points of entry both in and out. https://www.bva.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Buerger/Ausweis-Dokumente-Recht/Waffenrecht/Einzelerlaubnisse/antrag_mitnahmeerlaubnis.pdf;jsessionid=D8B3B602DD4F0D6F5D756BF54DA7466C.internet281?__blob=publicationFile&v=2 The areas are listed here: https://www.zoll.de/SharedDocs/Boxen/EN/Fragen/0049_waffenrechtlich_zustaendige_verwaltungsbehoerden.html?nn=202352&faqCalledDoc=202362 You will need flight numbers, travel times and your passport info. Looking at other peoples experiences of attending, you can expect to get pulled up to 130km of the border by the border police. I expect the lurid headlines make airsofters an attractive arrest. Slinging rifs in the boot and hoping is an unwise move. Apologies if these end up being wrong, my German is poor schoolboy standard. One could replace the spring and get power down to sub .5J but if they find the replacement spring and it is changeable 'within three operations' then you are screwed. Avoiding Germany by land adds 600 miles and about 12 hours travel time.

Do the paperwork and the road trip still looks possible. https://www.zoll.de/EN/Private-individuals/Travel/Entering-Germany/Restrictions/Weapons-and-ammunition/weapons-and-ammunition_node.html?fbclid=IwAR2k5h7Ydw9g4oqExMq4az8z97pppM1DWSVUyfFk592uuXATfHDKoM4qybE Softair waffen need an F-mark. https://www.tag24.de/nachrichten/regionales/nachrichten-bayern/waidhaus-neun-franzosen-muessen-softair-waffen-der-polizei-uebergeben-bayern-a6-kontrolle-1646840?fbclid=IwAR1gIG6jZ4AkWMdTiUtzgPbmY-yCFZMfJfUmc6rZpdrkdizVFS5R2tuY-0A

We had to rearrange a trip to Poland a few years back as we were travelling with 12ft-lb airguns for a competition (6ft-lb limit in Germany). The German plod had warned us that they were fully aware of the world championships being held in Poland and that they would be looking to stop coachloads of competitors. The coach firm developed cold feet about the whole deal too. No-one fancied being nicked for a firearms offence understandably. If you look at it from Herr Constable's point of view, having 40-50 people per coach casually carrying unlicensed rifles through his patch is a bit of a piss take. Having said that... I expect that UK orders from Poland often arrive via road. Belgian police certainly have a reputation for stopping 4x4s in shooting season and having a look at your paperwork. Although if you're dressed for a day in the field and have your gundog with you I suppose you stand out fairly easy.

Looks a cracking game. I've sent the link to mates that play. Driving would make sense and fill the van up at TG if it were not for having to get across the German border.

The chap above beat me to making the same comment. On another note. That's one well proportioned car engined trike if thats what I can see in the tiny thumbnail.

Electrolysis did have a moderate effect for me, but botox injections every six months were an incredibly painful improvement. Beta blockers help.

Watch yourselves. That's Salma Hayek right there...

Convincing your girlfriend that she's crazy is called gaslighting, and it's a dick move. Convincing her that she's a robot with artificial intelligence and implanted memories is called bladerunning, it's a Philip K. Dick move.

A penguin is driving a rental car through the desert when suddenly the air conditioner stops working. The penguin, frantic with the heat, swerves into the first car repair shop he sees. Penguin jumps out yelling, "Quick, quick! Drop everything and fix my air conditioner. I'm literally dying from this heat! Really, it's an emergency!" The mechanic says, "Calm down, now. I can fix your car in about a half hour, and you should just go across the street to wait in the ice cream shop. It's cool in there, and they sell soft-serve ice cream." The penguin is thrilled, jumping up and down, and yells, "Yay!! Soft serve is my favourite!", and he scampers across the street waving his stubby wings. Exactly a half hour later the penguin rushes out of the ice cream shop with vanilla ice cream all over his face, and runs into the repair shop, yelling, "Did you fix it!? Did you fix it!?" The mechanic says, "Yeah, no problem. It looks like you just blew a seal." The penguin frantically wipes his mouth and yells, "No fucking way! That's just ice cream!!"

A penguin walks into a bar and orders a pint of best bitter. He asks the barman, 'Have you happened to see my brother around? 'Dunno,' says the barman, 'what's he look like?'

Call me somewhat old fashioned, but I think we've all been at their mercy since the 15th century at least. Airsoft would be in far better shape if The Peasants' Revolt had succeeded.

Of course not! They merely allowed you to struggle completing the shipping option until I e-mailed them thinking it may be a tech issue... Now it is 'improved' to telling you at the checkout again.

Got a notification that Taiwan Gun had CM.048Ms in stock. Tried to order but no dice. They are not shipping to the UK again. Bollocks.

So… The night before we were due to leave for Namsoft I suddenly find myself voiceless and shivering, running a temperature. A good night’s sleep and I am just fit enough to drive by nearly midnight the following day. Not the best of starts, but there we go. The van was packed, the tickets bought and the Covid test passed A-OK. Set up camp at about 2:30am as quietly as possible after nearly three hour drive. Decent safety brief; comprehensive despite almost every player being something of an old hand at the game. For the few that were new, nothing was omitted or rushed. Game started with clear objectives and well defined fire teams to carry them out. The basic premise of the game is the film Southern Comfort. This was about a group of national guardsmen on a training exercise in the Louisiana swamps that fall foul of a group of Cajun’s who believe that they have been fired upon. Good film, great theme for a game. The action started with some LARPY shit, role playing as F.B.I., local Sheriffs, Cajuns and Guardsman. Plenty of banter and an increasingly tense atmosphere as everyone anticipates the start of the fighting. Someone slots a sheriff and a several way firefight starts. The various groups pull out and regroup to decide how to achieve their objectives in a newly hostile environment. Playing as a Cajun, I accompany the small four man group to retrieve an ammo crate, having first to find the cash box to have the necessary funds. This goes surprisingly easy, as we find the sheriffs have arrested a fellow Cajun, and due to the presence of the hated ‘Feds, we surround them and demand his release. This achieved, he reveals that he is our contact as we lead him away. A good start. Crates retrieved, we proceed to hunt the US troops. Eversley Alpha is one hell of a site. There is a pile of rhododendrons, dense marsh and thick cover. With only about 35 players, we restricted the action down to easily identified areas and soon had the US in sight. They were oblivious to our presence, which is just how it should be. A short and murderous firefight followed, with excellent sportspersonship. I say sportsperson as that rare beast, the airsoft female was present in some numbers (OK about four, but it’s a start.) The swamp dwelling set victorious we carried on hunting the sheriffs in order to attack the F.B.I. contingent that accompanied them. All great fun. At some point I reverted to true character and lone wolfed for the rest of the weekend. I harassed and harried the opposition at every opportunity, sniping with the M14. The ML hop set up lofts .3s with ease, whilst over hopping .28s madly. I get some great shots at range, bopping GIs through sanger observation slits and picking off squads at long range. At some point I end up stalking at close range, and keep a whole section pinned down by firing from some rhododendrons at fifteen yards range. I feel guilty when one chap walks over, thinking that he has spotted me at range, and I shoot him at about two feet. One skinned knuckle and an apology at endex followed. Not that said chap was aggrieved. Admiration for crafty concealment far outshone the odd flesh wound. I lost the exact set up after this and concentrated on harrying any opposition that I saw. An attack of the enemy base I learned of via my radio; and this was joined with enthusiasm. Following on from my highly successful solo escapades, this was bound to end in disaster and I was captured. The closeness of the enemy’s respawn allowed them to swarm us before we could change position. Not being fools, this was exploited in full by the enemy. The game progressed in similar fashion for hours, neither of the sides having a complete upper hand all day. The site was amazing as ever. The gameplay is excellent. The scenario is brilliant and easily learned. The cherry on the cake as it were, came at the close of the day. Number one son had bought his girlfriend, assuming that the usual round of shopping and cafes would be indulged in as the players played. Unfortunately, no other female company arrived, and so as cash free and in totally unexpected twist, a hostage appeared. By the end of the weekend we had one really excited young lady, hell bent on playing air soft at the earliest opportunity. That to me is a result. Good on the organiser for giving a second (personal) detailed safety brief, and for changing the storyline so that everybody had a good game. Sunday dawned far too early, the night centring on Cuban cigars and single malts. I dragged a reluctant arse out of bed and lone wolfed the US soldiers again. I worked my way into the middle of the enemy position and let fly with the M14, many players moaning at ‘friendly fire.’ Ho, ho, ho. Overall, given the price, plus cost of diesel, this was not cheap. However, you only live once, and the fun factor was off the scale. I still feel ultra shit re: congested chest, lack of energy, lack of strength, BUT the buzz from the game has stayed for hours later. The social and in game play was simply spot on and I will attend next year, yet again. If anyone fancies a spot of redneck carnage and or Vietnam style airsoft action, send me a PM.

If I was spending £500 tomorrow as a newbie, I would get a Cyma M14 and ask a decent tech to fit a simple 'fet, tightbore and Maple Leaf bucking. IIRC a metal toothed piston is a good idea for one too. You will have a great shooting rifle for around £230 - £250. As the man above says, recoil systems etc are a pain in the nuts. A simple mosfet to protect the titchy trigger contacts on a CYMA is a good idea though I think. The rest I'd spend on decent boots, eyepro and a minimal set of webbing etc. The change I'd spend on satisfying post-game burgers, or possibly Curly Wurlys, with a chance of scotch.

Dave walked into the pub last night with a black eye. 'How did that happen?' I asked. Apparently, his wife asked him to make a bird table. She only came in at number seven.