Airsoft Tour of Duty: Anarchy Under the Eagle!

It's September, and I'm back at work. Huzzah! So, back to the daily grind, the stress and everything else that goes to make up the life of a teacher. Not that I'm complaining. I'm not, 'honest guv', however, I've had very little time for blogging over the past few days, hence my failure to update the site

I'm starting the month with a review, of sorts, of the last WW2 airsoft game I attended. Rather than give you a blow by blow account of the game, Ive elected instead to reproduce my reaction to the game which I posted on the WW2 Airsoft forum shortly after the event, together with some visuals provided by myself and a number of other players

The game, called 'Anarchy Under the Eagle', was loosely based on the famous WW2 war film from the 1970s, 'Kelly's Heroes' and was played out at First and Only Airsoft's site over at Kinver, The Outpost, aka The Tunnels! Organised by a small collective of players, all regulars of CIA games and active participants on the WW2 Airsoft forum, known as Oddballs, it promised to be a memorable event

'Tiny', and The Tank.....

.....'Porta', his brother.....

.....and 'Oddball', the event organisers

This was my first 'full on' WW2 game for a loooooong time, and boy did it remind me just how much I love it, and should really get off my ares [spelling mistake, intentional!] and do more of it 

It was a hoot. Thanks Oddie, and Tiny and Porta [you completely mad son of a biatch] for organising the whole thing, coping with all the shit, thinking on your feet and making the day what it was. Thanks, too, to everyone who attended and provided so much entertainment 

It was good to say hi and speak to a few people I have only communicated with via this [WW2 Airsoft] forum lately, good as well to meet one or two folks I have never seen in the flesh before, like Oddball, and I finally got to meet and greet the famous Sherman tank. What a hoot that thing is and, as Chommers says, in the dark, and in the confines of the tunnels, it looked and sounded enormous. A bit like the 'fire breathing dragon' from Live and Let Die, or is it Dr. No?

OK, so it's not a real Sherman, but in the dark it doesn't half put the willies up you!

'Chommers', the 'driving force' behind the WW2 Airsoft forum

   

Like many others I thought the three sides played out very well, what with all the intrigue and double crosses going on. There was a bit of a lull in the morning, granted, but it was dealt with effectively and the riotous opening sequence with the Allies [Russinas and Americans] charging, suicidally, towards our defensive stronghold was a real blast. For the Germans, the end of the day was similarly exhilarating as we staunchly defended our scenario-winning stash of gold and fought off all attempts to raid our gold store

As we entered the site and approached our defensive barricade the Germans were greeted with this timely reminder of what would happen to anyone attempting to run away in neglect of their responsibilities to the Fatherland! This makeshift defensive structure was the one assaulted by the Allies in the opening sequence of the game

The site is awesome, and challenging, to play in in roughly equal measure. I've played there a few times now and I find it quite tiring on the old eyes trying your damnedest to peer through darkness and gloom, and I agree with Tosca that the amount of pyro let off didn't make life in that respect any easier. Felix [F+O site organiser] is also right, though. He did give us all fair warning about not getting carried away! Nothing like a well placed thermobaric for putting a spring in your step, though eh?

Russians.....

.....and Americans in the tunnels. In places, it's so dark in there you can't even see your hand in front of your face, let alone target the enemy. One of the reasons there was so many deaths due to friendly fire on the American side. True to form then, I guess!

Another reason for the quantity of deaths on the American side was the over enthusiasm of the gunner operating the fully functional 30 cal MG fixed to this very impressive looking jeep!

 

So many highlights, so little time.....the tank, the opening carpet of brown, the last ditch defense of the gold store, that ruddy Ruskie gun and the big ear-splitting bangs.....

'Porta', just about to let one off

In addition to the working AT gun, the Russians had this in tow!

 
.....Porta's crazy cossack-dancing commissar impersonation, Porta dying in a hail of 6mm plastic for the one hundredth time, dodging pyros lobbed with gusto by over zealous Yankees, riddling Snippy as he ran away from one of the two pyros I threw all day.....

'Snippy' before the game. Watching you run out of a pitch black tunnel opening in the hope of avoiding the grenade,  only to be greeted by the rattle from my PPSH, was a memorable moment. Soz, mate!

Roll on the next game. I'm certainly going to make more of an effort to turn up to a few more, and I will definitely come to the next one organised by Oddballs. Thanks for a great day, guys! 

Anyone who has ever played at The Outpost will know just how atmospheric it can be and for those of you who haven't, I strongly recommend you give it a go. Hopefully I've been able to convey some sense of just how good the game was but, in case mere words are not enough, here are a few more visuals to enjoy. I'm sure you'll agree that the overall standard of kit was extremely high, and a pleasure to behold!

A group of regulars from Fireball enjoying the WW2 experience

Never let it be said that Germans don't know the meaning of compassion!

'Yours truly' minus smock, helmet and PPSH!

Finally, but by no means least, I thought I'd make mention of the fact that the Germans won the game, just in case I hadn't already! Just in case you don't believe me, here's a picture to prove it!

A group of Germans posing with the winning stash of captured gold, oh and a dead Yankee, just for good measure!

See you on the skirmish field!