Video: Interview with John Lu

How to keep warm during the cold months...

Here are a couple of items that can make those outdoor games in the coming cold months a bit less "brutal" - flight jackets and balaclavas are in!

A balaclava (pronounced /ˌbæləˈklɑːvə/), also known as a balaclava helmet or ski mask, is a form of headgear covering the whole head, exposing only the face or upper part of it, and sometimes only the eyes. (Read more on Wikipedia)

...and um, yeah I'm makin' a funny face under there! These Balaclavas have a bit of thickness to them and are great for cold weather.
* 6.6oz. Tru-Spec Performance Plus 93% Polyester / 7% Spandex
* Highly Breathable
* Moisture Wicking
* Microban® For Anti-Microbial And Anti-Odor Defense
* Extended Cold Weather System
* Quick Drying
One size fits most, even DeathIdol. We have black in stock now; tan is also available by special order. Our price: $15.

These work great under the Save Phace masks.

Flight Jackets
These flight jackets are the perfect thing to keep you warm without hindering your mobility. They are roomy in the shoulders, and close fitting in the waist to give you the most flexibility in the upper body, while keeping your core nice and toasty.

You'll find similar jackets at army surplus stores for around $65, but our price on this one is $35.
* 100% Nylon Shell
* 100% Polyester Filling
* Reversible To Orange lining
* Heavyweight
* Full Cut
* High Quality, Durable Zipper
* Knitted Cuffs, Collar and Waist
We currently have Black in stock, in sizes M, L, XL, and 3XL Regular. Also available in Navy and Sage, sizes: XSmall - 5XLarge Regular, by special order.

We'll have these items with us at Airsoft Assault this Saturday. Cash, check, and Paypal accepted. :)

Two Weeks Later...

...was interesting, playing a Zombie game at Airsoft Assault. The "post-industrial apacolyptic" feel of the place just lends itself to such a theme. Here are a couple of photos from last Saturday:

The "living" humans had to find and collect objects like this in the maze, and survive for a specified length of time...


While they were assaulted by "zombies" wearing license plates. Just one touch from a zombie and you are wounded; three touches from a zombie and you are fully "zombified." To stop a zombie you had to hit the plate (to resemble a head shot) and they went down for 15 seconds. With springer weapons, this is more of a challenge than you might think.


I love playing this game! MORE ZOMBIES! MORE ZOMBIES!

National Guard at Airsoft Assault this Saturday

This Saturday, Nov. 1, the National Guard will be at Airsoft Assault during their regular hours, noon - 10 pm. After seeing the videos from last time, I'm very excited about going this weekend. There will also be a raffle for a UTG shotgun, and they are also giving away something from Game Stop. Should be fun.

Also note that in just the last couple of weeks, they've installed more rooms, more fixtures, and more lighting features to the playing field at Airsoft Assault. It was awesome before, but now it's really awesome.

Save Phace masks are in!!!

Both Death Idol and I have been using Save Phace masks lately and we like them so much that we've become authorized Save Phace dealers.

Before I tried using a Save Phace mask, I did not like wearing full face masks at all. I had tried some of the more common, low-end paintball masks, and they felt bulky and awkward on me, got in my way, and they fogged up a lot. Luckily I found Save Phace, and what a difference good design makes! The masks are very adjustable and comfortable to wear and don't fog up. They also come in really cool designs and colors. There are four basic styles of the tactical mask, and they range in price from around $50 - $85. There are also different lens options: thermal, tinted, mirrored, and mask bags are also available.

The importance of eye/face protection
It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye

We can't stress enough how important it is to wear good eye protection while playing airsoft or paintball (or many other sports for that matter). And, considering how many people I know who have lost or broken teeth on a BB, I would highly recommend full-face protection. For the money, the Save Phace masks are the best I can recommend.

Currently in stock:


Ping me or DI if you would like to know more!

This Sunday: Decisive Horizon

Game at Airsoft Assault is canceled this Sunday because everyone will be at the Decisive Horizon event hosted by Joker. Sounds like it's going to be a really good game, so you should check it out if you can. Details here - http://www.airsoftassault.org/wordpress/archives/350

Zombie Gauntlet

Just posted over on the Firefight! network: some videos that JP shot at the Zombie Hunt last Saturday...good times, good times. I think this one is my favorite. You can check out the rest on Firefight! or YouTube.

Talk the talk

When playing at milsim events, I strive for authenticity in my appearance---appropriate loadout for the particular scenario, accurate or plausible uniform, replica weapons, and so on, but that's not the complete picture. I think that if you are going to portray a US marine (or other character in a milsim game) you should talk and act like one, too, to properly round out the character. So here are some useful links in that regard:

Spell like a marine: Military phonetic alphabet (from 1913 to the present).

Tell time like a marine: Military time
.

MilTerms - an online dictionary of US military terminology, acronyms, and slang.

A directory of military glossaries for different branches and countries.

Any other suggestions for resources on character building?

Two Weeks Later...MORE BRAAAAIIINZ!!!

So if you missed Zombie Hunt III, here's your chance to make up (clipped from the Airsoft Assault blog):

Saturday October 25th: Two Weeks Later

filed in Event Announcment on Oct.12, 2008

We are proud to announce that Airsoft Assault will be having it’s first Zombie based game on October 25th! We would like to thank the Ghost Walkers for coming up with the original idea on this type of game and for the success they have had with it during their previous Zombie Hunts.

Here are some details so far:

Admission: $20
Time: Noon-10pm
Weapon Restrictions: Springer Guns ONLY.

We are working on more specifics, details to follow soon! Stay tuned.

P.S. Sorry to those that were attending Operation: Hell Gate. It has been canceled due to lack of interest. We are planning “Two Weeks Later” to take it’s place. This event should be definitely one to remember!
###

Also, an update to a previous event announcement:

The time for Yo Joe! part 3, (Sat. Nov. 8 at Airsoft Assault) has changed to 9am - 3 pm, and if you aren't already preregistered for this event, you won't be admitted to play before 3pm. Regular play will resume at 3pm that day.

Upcoming airsoft events in Pgh. area

Operation: Decisive Horizon

October 19, 2008 at 8am – Hadax Installation, Dawson, PA
The South Pittsburgh Airsoft Detachment and Rough Riders are Proud to Present: Operation: Decisive Horizon Fee: $5 STORYLINE: In Operation: Black Fox, you helped fight the Civil War...(details here). Organized by Jeff | Type: MilSim, Skirmish

Just Announced: Two Weeks Later

October 25 at Airsoft Assault. Just when you thought the threat of zombie attack was over...here they come again two weeks later. Details TBA.

Yo Joe! Episode 3

November 8, 2008 from 9:30am to 3pm – Airsoft Assault
During Episode 2, the Joe team discovered that Cobra created an enormous, earthquake-generating robot. It is only a matter of time before an earthquake is triggered under New York City, bringing th...(details here). Organized by Julie | Type: Firefight!

Zombie Hunt, woo!

Tonight I am obliged to go shoot zombies in the woods. Actually, Darkthreads is vending for the event and I will probably be watching the table half the time. It should be fun. I wouldn't be surprised if the turnout is doubled from last year, and last year there was a really big crowd of zombies to deal with. The survival rate was very low. We'll see if the "living" can do better this year.

Airsoft on FriendFeed

For those of you who just can't get enough of me, I created a room on my FriendFeed for posting Airsoft stuff. You are welcome to join the room and post links to your favorite airsoft sites and resources. This blog feeds into the room, along with the Airsoft Assault blog.

Addicted to Airsoft

Other ways to read this feed:
On Facebook
Atom feed

Airsoft as a training vehicle

I'm impressed with the videos that Solscud shot at AA when the National Guard was running through room-clearing drills (See previous post). Wish I coulda been there. The applications of airsoft for military and tactical training are obvious, but I'm thinking that you could learn a lot of other skills that would apply to other fields, as well. For example, teamwork, communication, problem solving, focus, discipline, &etc. I think it could have far-reaching applications as a teaching tool. Any thoughts?

For me personally, I have gotten a lot out of participating in the sport in just a short time. For one thing, it challenges me physically and mentally, forces me to think fast and make decisions. Perhaps these are things that you more experienced players take for granted? What is your experience?

mirv

Video: National Guard at Airsoft Assault Pgh.

Review: Tru-Spec Uniforms

We are now carrying two different styles of uniform, and as our business grows, we'll carry more, but we think that the styles we carry now offer you the best options in price and value.

So, what's the difference between the Digital Combat uniform and the Tactical Response Uniform (TRU)? Well there's a big difference in the features, and there's also a difference in price. You can tell just by a glance at the line drawings (below) what some of the different features are.

The Tactical Response Uniform (TRU)

With the TRU, you are getting one of the best tactical uniforms that money can buy. Basically, the TRUs are a cutting-edge design, with more specialized features, like a convertable Mandarin collar, the Powerhook hook-and-loop faced pockets and closures, &etc. They are available in 65/35 Poly/Cotton Rip-Stop, in nine different colors/patterns, and come in XS - 3XL, short, regular, and long sizes.

For a full list of features, check out our store listings:
TRU Shirt
TRU Pants

Color chart

Pricing:
XS - XL: $39/each
2XL - 3XL: $42/each

The Digital Combat Uniform

The Digital Combat shirt and pants are styled more like the traditional military BDU, but with the quality and attention to detail that you'd expect from Tru-Spec, such as covered button plackets and felled seams. They only come in the desert, urban, and woodland digital patterns; Size XS - 3XL, regular and long. If you are looking for a more traditional military uniform, or you're on a budget, this is the option for you.

Check out our store listings here:
Digital Combat Shirt
Digital Combat Pants

Color chart

Pricing:
XS - XL: $28/each
2XL - 3XL: $31/each

TRU Shirt vs. Digital Combat Shirt


TRU pants vs. Digital Combat Pants