Weekend Events 05-02-08

May in the Midwest is starting out strong with ten games to announce this weekend. It looks like this will be a very busy month to be an airsofter. Please note that the skirmish in N. Indiana has moved from the 3rd to the 17th.

3: Operation 115 at Springfield, Ohio
It looks like this game is going to have a nice turnout, with over 40 players confirmed to attend and many others who will possibly make it. The event will run from 10am until 5pm and costs $20 to attend. You must be 14 years old or older and have a waiver signed to play at this field which you can find, along with the event rules here.

3: Backyard Tactical Training Open Game at N. Royalton, Ohio
Backyard Tactical Training is hosting a free game($5 if you want pizza) this Saturday at a private field. The game starts at 12pm and lasts until 8pm, so bring a flashlight for "Night Splinter Cell games." This seems like a very new player friendly game so if you have been considering getting into airsoft play check it out. Photos of the field can be found here.

3: Indoor and Outdoor Skirmish at Conquest in Sunbury, Ohio
The third option for Ohio players this Saturday is an indoor and outdoor skirmish in Sunbury Ohio. Players must be over 13 and have a gun shooting at appropriate fps for the location, for more details click here.

3: Hunting Pablo: Redux at Realms of Ruin Paintball in Cluster Park, Ill.
If hunting down Columbian drug lords sounds exciting to you, this game might catch your interest. The fee is $25 per player and registration starts at 8am. Make sure to get there early because you will have to wait if you are not checked in and chrono'd by 8:50am. Make sure you bring a kill rag and barrel blocking device to the field as these are mandatory to play. This event has many special rules for gameplay so please familiarize yourself with them here.

4: Walsh Farms Open Play at Doylestown, Ohio
If you're over 12 years old and are looking for a fun skirmish this Sunday, check out the Walsh Farms open play. The fee to play is $6 and there will be multiple scenarios depending upon how many players attend. Game starts at 10am and ends whenever people are done, and don't forget to bring your own food and water.

4: The Riots at The Wargame Room in Batavia, Wisc.
Not only are there rioters in The Wargame Room this weekend but terrorists have mixed into the group as well. Fight the law or play as S.W.A.T. in this scenario game. The game fee is $20 and you must have a barrel blocking device to play. Everyone 12 and older is welcome to attend this game though anyone under 18 must take a safety course. The field opens at 9am and the game will run until 4pm. Click here for full rules and info.

4: Operation: Big Fish at Lakeshore Airsoft in Fruitport, Mich.
If you're in the Michigan area, this scenario game may interest you. In this game you can play as a member of the U.S. forces and attempt to overtake the extremists or join them and overthrow western tyranny. Or join the Guerrillas and support whoever has the fatter wallet. The game briefing will start promptly at 9:30 am so make sure you're on time and registered by then. For full rules and info click here.

4: Swap and Skirmish at Elm, Mo.
Dan's Toy Shop is hosting this swap and skirmish at the junkyard on Sunday. The gate opens at 9am and the swap will be held as people set up. If you are planning on attending you are asked to bring these items if possible; A tan and a green hat, a radio, red dead rag, lunch and a field fee of $10.

4: Skirmish at Independence, Mo.
The Kansas City Airsoft Club is hosting this skirmish in Missouri. The fee to play is $10 and the game will run from 9:30am until 4:30 pm.

4: Skirmish at Mad Cow Paintball in Louisville, Neb.
Our final game to list for the weekend is a skirmish at Mad Cow Paintball in Nebraska. If you're in the area check it out. Cost to play is $5 and game start is also 9:30am.

Second Wisconsin Airsoft Expo

We just received word about the upcoming Wisconsin Airsoft Expo in Wakusha, Wisc. on August 3rd. It sounds very exciting with lots of prizes, vendors, classes, and meeting other airsofters from the area. Check below for full details.

The second annual Wisconsin Airsoft Expo is coming to Waukesha, Wisconsin! If you or someone you know is interested in airsoft, don't miss this expo! The Expo will be held at the Waukesha County Expo center. Pictures of the 2007 expo available here
http://www.wisconsinairsoft.com/2007airsoftexpo.html

When:
Sunday, August 3rd 2008. 10am to 6pm.
Exhibitors and vendors may set up at 8am.

Where:
Waukesha County Expo Center
1000 Northview Rd
Waukesha, WI 53188

The Wisconsin Airsoft Expo website and information can be found at...
http://www.wisconsinairsoft.com/wisconsinairsoft.html

Here are just a few things to look forward to at the expo (more will be updated on the event website as time goes by)...
- A convention hall set up with booths and plenty of area for social interaction
- Vendors onsite with all sorts of airsoft equipment for sale
- Informational booths for those interested in the sport
- Wisconsin Team exhibits; find out what the teams are in Wisconsin... or surrounding areas!
- Training classes in subjects related to airsoft
- A prize giveaway
- Safely educating and informing in a family friendly atmosphere welcome to anyone
- A generous list of sponsors who have all donated product that will be given away to attendees
- Contests for Best Booth, Best Gear, and Best Costume (see below for specific contest info)
- A short "Nervous Parent's Guide to Airsoft" Seminar run by Todd Meyer
- And more! (Check back for more updates on expo activities)

Attendee Info
- 12 and younger: Free with a paid entry
- 13 and older: $10 for entry (eligible for giveaway ticket for prize giveaway)

Contests
There will be several contests going on during this expo. Please read below if you are interested in competing.
-Best Booth: If you have a neat idea to jazz up a booth and win, all you have to do is attend with a DISPLAY BOOTH or larger table space entry and submit your information into the contest at the registration table. All booth entries will be photographed and voted on for winner of Best Booth.
-Best Gear: Got some really neat gear to show off? If you attend the event in your full getup (NO GUNS for attendees), enter into the contest at the registration booth, and get your picture taken, you can be eligible to win. Examples of "gear" can be the uniform and tactical gear you wear during games.
-Best Costume: If you have a costume or impression that you think could win best costume, show up to the expo in it and enter into the contest at the registration booth to win. Examples of this could be a WW2 impression, a costume for a role you play for events, a sci-fi costume and loadout, or just something you dress up in once in a while for fun!

Booth Info
- Thrift Half- $20 (1 entry & prize ticket, 1 chair, half of an eight foot table)
- Display Booth- $30 (2 entrys & prize tickets, 2 chairs, 1 eight foot table)
- Vendor Booth- $50 (2 entrys & prize tickets, 2 chairs, 2 eight foot tables)
- All Booths are eligible to sell items, but are responsible for managing their own sales. Any booth attendee failing to abide by selling laws or policies will be kicked out without refund.
- Register your booth EARLY so you can get a better spot at the expo!

So mark your calendars with the second annual Wisconsin Airsoft Expo - 2008. The Expo is a great place to meet other airsoft enthusiasts and see what the sport has to offer.

If you are interested in running a booth for your business/team/event/organization please contact the Expo Committee by visiting www.wisconsinairsoft.com and sending us an email.

New Upcoming Events

May
3: Indoor and Outdoor Skirmish at Conquest in Sunbury, Ohio
Come out to Conquest for an indoor and outdoor skirmish. Fee to play is $20 and the game goes from 9am until 6pm. Maximum indoor fps is 350, outside is 500.

4: Skirmish at Mad Cow Paintball in Louisville, Neb.
Game starts at 9:30am at the Mad Cow Field.

18: OP: Multicode at Arcadia, Ohio
This event has had its date changed to Sunday, the 18th. Please check here for more info and change your calender accordingly.

18: OP: TBD at Davison, Mich.
Not much info announced on this one yet. Game fee is $20 and will last 8 or more hours. The storyline and name are yet to be announced but you can RSVP here.

31: OP: Liberate Tutame Ex Inferis at Realms of Ruin Paintball in Cluster Park, Ill.
This game is a zombie game and has not officially announced yet. Breech, who is running the event is checking to see if anyone is interested in attending on the Illinois Airsoft Association forums. The cost will be $25 and the game will run for 5 or 6 hours. If you would be willing to attend or want to know more information or the rules, click here.


June
1: OP: High Impact 4 at "the farm" in Bloomington Ind.
Help celebrate 10 years of I.M.P.A.C.T. airsoft gaming by shooting your friends at this event!

Mission Briefing: A group of hired rogue terrorists have stolen top secret documents regarding the Chinese government from the US. These terrorists have been hired by a terrorist organization known only as F.M. The F.M. has acquired mercenaries from around the world and there is reason to believe that even a few US soldiers have been acquired. These soldiers are intelligent and dangerous. The documents contain information that could prove the Chinese government guilty of crimes here in the US. This is also something that the UN is very interested in looking at as well. This could affect our economy and our world as we currently know it.

Event fee is $5 per player and covers the cost of a raffle ticket and props during play. Joker's Airsoft Supply store has donated an AGM Shart-Shooter airsoft rifle as a raffle prize and will be given away to one lucky attendee. The game will last 1-5 hours depending on attendance and will follow both Indiana Airsoft Association and I.M.P.A.C.T. rules. For waivers, rules, and more info, click here.

13-15: For Life and Liberty 1 - The Fall from Grace at Wisconsin Dells, Wisc.
The Guerilla Airsoft Tactics team have announced a scenario weekend for June 13-15. This is the first game their team has hosted and it sounds like it is coming along well. The game will be hosted at a 60 acre field in the Wisconsin Dells area.

The United States has been attacked!!!

The major cities have been seized!!

Fighting in the street rages from coast to coast!!

The N.P.A. has pushed as far as Central Wisconsin and has begun to secure the area. Their goal is to turn any uncontrollable areas into Nuclear wastelands. W.U.R.M., backed by a small unit of New United States Special Forces, resist the N.P.A. and fight for the perseverance of the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the American way of life.

The N.P.A. Plague is Spreading!!

This is a weekend long event with on site camping available. Arrive Friday evening for BBQ, bonfire, and introductions. This event costs $35-50 depending on what team you register for, please note that you must be over 16 to attend and that Bio-BBs are required to play on the field. For waivers and rules, check out the G.A.T. site.

Spring/Summer 2008 Skirmish and Event Schedule

Upcoming games and events in the Midwest. Click on an event names for more information and rules on each individual event. Events are added weekly if available, so check back for updates often.

May:
3: Operation 115 at Springfield, Ohio
3: Backyard Tactical Training Open Game at N. Royalton, Ohio
3: Hunting Pablo: Redux at Realms of Ruin Paintball in Cluster Park, Ill.
3: Indoor and Outdoor Skirmish at Conquest in Sunbury, Ohio
4: Walsh Farms Open Play at Doylestown, Ohio
4: The Riots at The Wargame Room in Batavia, Wisc.
4: Operation: Big Fish at Lakeshore Airsoft in Fruitport, Mich.
4: Swap and Skirmish at Elm, Mo.
4: Skirmish at Independence, Mo.
4: Skirmish at Mad Cow Paintball in Louisville, Neb.
10: WG Skirmish at Kalona, Iowa
10: MAA Open Session at Special Forces Paintball in Buffalo, Minn.
12: Backyard Tactical Training Open Game at N. Royalton, Ohio
16-18: Operation: Killing Field at Mad Cow Paintball in Louisville, Neb.
17: Skirmish at Middlebury, Ind.
17: Boot Camp at The Wargame Room in Batavia, Wisc.
17: WAA Airsoft Evaluation Course at Apocalypse Paintball in Poynette, Wisc.
18: OP: Multicode at Arcadia, Ohio
18: The Battle For Breeland at Apocalypse Paintball in Poynette, Wisc.
18: Operation Honor Flight at Red Dragon Paintball in Hammersville, Ohio
18: OP: TBD at Davison, Mich.
18: Skirmish at Paintball Valley in Nashville, Ind.
21: Wichita Airsoft Squad Competition at The Edge Paintball in Wichita, Kans.
24: Operation: Close-out at The Wargame Room in Batavia, Wisc.
30: Operation: Stealing Freedom 2 at Blast Camp Paintball in Hobart, Ind.
31: Walsh Farms Weekend Long Open Play at Doylestown, Ohio
31: Event Code Name: Hot Sauce at Mattawan, Mich.
31: WWII Skirmish at Special Forces Paintball in Buffalo, Minn.
31: OP: Liberate Tutame Ex Inferis at Realms of Ruin Paintball in Cluster Park, Ill.

June:
1: OP: High Impact 4 at "the farm" in Bloomington Ind.
6: Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of ... at The Wargame Room in Batavia, Wisc.
7: Operation Overlord at Chardon, Ohio
7: Operation Live Trigger at Mission Creek Paintball in Hinckley, Minn.
8: Operation: Gold Rush 2 at Davison, Mich.
13: Midwest Sniper Cup at Schoolcraft, Mich.
13-15: For Life and Liberty 1 - The Fall from Grace at Wisconsin Dells, Wisc.
21: Operation Watchtower: Guadalcanal at Hole in the Wall Paintball in Bangor, Mich.
26-27: OP: Red Storm Rising II at Blast Camp Paintball in Hobart, Ind.
28: MKAEE at Battlefront Paintball in Hubbard, Ohio

July:
12-13: Blood Dynasty II at Davison, Mich.
19: OP: Dirty Sandbox at Springfield, Ohio
19-20: Operation: Last Resort at Hole in the Wall Paintball in Bangor, Mich.

August:
2: Operation: Ranch Hand at Hole in the Wall Paintball in Bangor, Mich.
3: Wisconsin Airsoft Expo in Wakusha, Wisc.
9-10: Codename: Thunder IV at Sherwood Forest Paintball in LaPorte, Ind.
16: Operation Black Eagle at Mattawan, Mich.
25: Backyard Tactical Training Open Game at N. Royalton, Ohio
30: Operation: Fallen Angel at Hole in the Wall Paintball in Bangor, Mich.

Weekend Catch-up

Sorry about the delay in posting but I have had some internet trouble recently. The weekend has gone by successfully and you can find some pictures from the Broken Allegiance III game here.

A note to any of you Minnesotan players, the Minnesota Airsoft Association's message board is down but please check the Warehouse Airsoft forums if you're looking for an event this weekend.

We're slowly managing to get our media up from BATC and the next couple posts will be about that. I lost my high speed access for a while due to some cable problems but I am back to uploading it.

Weekend Events 10-19-07

20. First Force Airsoft Public Game at Chatfield, Minn.
This is an open game hosted by First Force Airsoft. The price to play is $10, and you must be over 15 years old to join in. Game start is 11AM and ends at 6PM


20: Team Survival at Conquest in Sunbury Ohio
This event may take place in both indoor and outdoor settings, so be prepared for either. It costs $15 to play and the game starts at 10AM.

20-21: Operation Outbreak at Blast Camp Paintball in Hobart, Ind.
This is a two day long event, it costs $50 for the weekend or $30 for a single day. This is a zombie game and has very specific rules, please check the thread for more details. Also be advised that there will be a night game, so come prepared. Game starts at 8AM Saturday.

20-21: Broken Allegiance III at Cambridge, Iowa
This game takes place in a futuristic civil war setting. If you have not already registered it costs $70 at the door. Please check the website for rules and camouflage information. Camping is available for free on site.

21: Black Sunday at Conquest in Sunbury Ohio
The fee for this event is $15, and it includes open play and a swap meet. Open play will be all day long with the swap meet starting at 10AM and ending at 1:30PM.

21: Trouble at the Syrian Chemical Arms Plant, The Wargame Room in Batavia, Wisc.
Game briefing starts at 11AM with the game running from noon until 4PM. The fee to play is $15 and there will be supplies available for sale at the location. Please bring multiple sets of uniforms as they will designate the teams.

New Games to Announce

We've got a handful of new games to announce this week. Click the name of each game for more information.

October:
20: Team Survival at Conquest in Sunbury Ohio
27: Skirmish at West Concord, Minn.
27: MOA Rec Game at Mattawan, Mich.

November:
3: Operation Outbreak at Conquest in Sunbury Ohio
10: Operation 111 at Springfield, Ohio

As always, please RSVP with the event coordinator if you plan on attending one of these events.

Weekend Games Review

This was a pretty busy weekend with lots of major games to report about.

The Minnesota Airsoft Association's BATC event was a huge success and you can find some pictures taken by ISAAC here. We'll have our own media covering this event sometime soon.

Everyone seems to have had a great time at OP: Pill Box Island over in Indiana, we found some pictures from the event here.

Operation: Flash Fire II looks like it had a good turn out, check out some pictures in the thread as well as some more here. We have heard about some safety problems with the field this game was played on and we would advise anyone attending future events at the Bangor, Mich. field to be aware of these conditions. Some players have reported unsafe structures with sharp nails sticking out as well as large unmarked holes around the field. The event host, CantoXII, is quoted saying:

We are sorry for the poor condition of the event field for this event, all complaints will be taken into consideration and used to improve the field for future events.

BATC Day 2

I just now got back from the BATC event over in Ham Lake, so I apologize for the late post. The morning started off with a bit of training on calling out spotted enemies, which was one of the weaker areas of the recruits. They ran a few drills around the main camp area trying to spot hidden Opfor members in the bushes and call them out in a manner that everyone in their team would understand. After a bit of practice with that they worked on setting up a perimeter that would make sure there was no gap in line of sight of their area.

During this time, many of the Opfor members were setting up the field for the final mission. The recruits received their orders; A missile had fallen into enemy hands and had to be recovered and removed at all costs. Unfortunately, the missile had split into two parts and they had to find a way to prevent both sections from being used by the enemy. This gave the recruits an opportunity to work on planning the event a bit and let them stray from following a scripted engagement.

Once they headed into the field they were under heavy attack, each squad would take defensive positions and slowly move their way to the objective while holding the Opfor at a distance. As the recruits headed for the first objective, they had no idea where the incoming attack would be coming from as they were surrounded by deep woods on every side. This really encouraged them to cover their rear and sides while still pushing forward and engaging the enemy.

Eventually they took both objectives and headed back to the main camp to take off all of their gear for the last time and get ready for lunch. During lunch I had a chance to talk to many of the recruits about their experiences at BATC and what they learned during this weekend. I don't think there any of them had regrets on coming to the event, and most were excited to bring back all of their new knowledge to their home field or teach their other airsoft buddies.

After lunch there was a testing process to see what everyone learned and finally a graduation ceremony. The Cadre and Opfor were very impressed with the overall progress of the recruits and had the group who made it to the end of the event graduate from BATC. Once the graduation ceremony was complete, everyone packed up and headed for home.

So now I'm left with over 3 hours of video and more then 400 pictures to sort through and upload to the internet, plus a massive craving for sleep. So please bear with us as we get more media uploaded sometime tomorrow.

BATC Day 1 Evening Wrap-up

We're closing down here at BATC after an intense night game. The Opfor positioned themselves in the field once it hit dark and awaited the recruits to ambush them during their mission. Each recruit was fitted with a small green glowstick on their back, and if they were hit during play they had a bright flashing red light to signal they had been killed. Once they get hit, they would turn the light on and head for a Cadre member who had blue glowsticks to signal a deployment point.

After a short discussion on playing at night we headed out into the field. Unfortunately it was pitch black and we were unable to get any pictures of the game. However, we did get some weak nightvision footage with a video camera and will have that online soon.

The game itself was thrilling; the recruits were to move to a position, hold there for a bit, then work their way back. The Opfor was waiting along the way, loaded with tracer rounds and ready to shoot them. As the recruits headed to the mission point the path was lit up by single glowing LEDs every 75 feet. They would move tactically up the path until they heard movement or confirmation of the enemy. Once they came into contact they would break into defensive positions and work as a team to take the enemy down. Some would lay suppressive fire while others would move to a better vantage point and see if they could get a visual on the target.

This went on for about a half hour until the Opfor was done with harassing them on the path and setup at their objective. Once the recruits got close they opened up with tracers flying everywhere. One of the trickier Opfor was waiting with a gas pistol close to the path, and unlike the others on his team he wasn't loaded with tracers and was able to stealthily eliminate a good number of recruits. After a respawn or two the recruits had taken the point and started to move into defensive positions as they held it. They took a few attacks but held out fairly well, one of the Opfor attempted to sneak up on them but they lit him up with a flashlight when they couldn't get a visual due to the low light.

After holding for a bit and making sure everyone was full on ammo and ready for more action, they made there way back to camp. Everyone moved into position swiftly and worked well together. Once we got back we had a short recap on the night and it was time to relax a bit before light's out.

Check back tomorrow morning for more coverage on this event.