Storm Force Airsoft, Review

Earlier today I took myself over to Storm Force to play at their airsoft open day and had a thoroughly enjoyable time, apart from the fact I twisted my knee and limped out of the very last game when it started to hurt a bit!

We arrived at about 8.45 and started getting ourselves sorted out. I was there with a couple of regulars from the team I play with at Fireball Squadron and once we'd done a bit of 'bombin' up' etc. we tucked into a very welcome bacon sarnie and a mug of tea/coffee. T and C are available all day and included in the green fee, a very reasonable £25, and the bacon sarnie was an additional £1.50. Lunch was also included, a large burger with cheese slices, onions and a variety of relishes. A variety of choccy bars, crisps and cans of fizz are also available, as are BBs, gas and flash bangs

A view of the safe zone and reception area, with the food hut on the left

A better view of the safe zone. There are two of these areas, both with plenty of plastic tables and chairs and covered with camo patterned plastic sheeting

The site itself is huge, and undulating, comprising areas of mature woodland with lots of trees and the ubiquitous rhododendron, the occasional area of relatively open ground and valleys! Yes, valleys, complete with one or two small streams and a large water feature or two. One of the games we played today centred around our team trying to fight its way from one end of a valley floor to the other whilst our opponents tried to stop us. They were allowed to make use of the trees and undergrowth on either side whilst we had to remain within the confines of the valley floor and do our best to drive them back by picking off their medics and forcing them to regen at the other end, thereby giving us time and opportunity to move forward, taking cover as best we could in some of the sparse undergrowth or the occasional structure or barricade

We played a number of games throughout the day using all of the main structures on the site; a border crossing, a church, a watchtower, a command base/fort, two bunkers set into a hillside, and an electricity pylon! They were short, sharp, objective driven games in the main and I enjoyed them all. The bunker game was the one where I twisted my knee. We were given the task of defending two bunkers set side by side into one of the hills, and our opponents had the unenviable task of trying to dislodge us and plant a flag to claim the ground. They were given unlimited regens whilst we were 'dead' and out of the game as soon as we were hit. A direct assault on the bunkers meant clambering up a fairly steep slope, dodging plastic and hugging trees, however it is also possible to work your way round the flanks and to the rear of the structures. We held out for a pitiful 7 minutes! The tables were then turned and it was our chance to see if we could better the time. You guessed it. We didn't. We planted our flag in just over 9 minutes

Team Panda enjoying a brief respite outside one of the bunker structures

Having just answered the call of nature, this is not the kind of reception committee you'd be expecting or looking forward to. Decent loos on this site, and that's not to be sniffed at!

A view of the fort, nestling in one of the valleys

All in all, my teammates and I had a thoroughly enjoyable and engrossing day's airsofting. The game play was action packed, pacey and challenging for the most part, hit taking was generally excellent and the marshalling fair, and firm without being heavy handed. The number of players attending was small, around about 20, but the day was no less enjoyable for that. The site is newly opened and it can certainly accommodate many more players, but it takes time to build up the numbers. If you're reading this and you still haven't been to Storm Force, I thoroughly recommend you give it a go. You won't be disappointed

See you on the skirmish field