Troops retaliate against terrorists, but lose battle

“Raptor, come in. We have multiple hostiles inbound.” A soldier radios his captain to inform him about the terrorists moving in on their location. Standing on top of the Baltic Silo, the troops are able to see the terrorists clearly, but they are way out of range. Their guns only have a range of about 100 metres.

The dead silence is broken by the sounds of the wailing wind and a soldier vigorously winding his gun. The others follow suit. They start to move around, carefully stepping over the rubble.

Eagle-eye focus can be seen all around. And then, everyone scatters. The bullets come flying past, hitting troops and making sharp snap-of-the-fingers sounds.

They retaliate by returning fire. Their assault rifles shoot BB bullets (called pellets) at speeds of about 125 metres per second.

By this time, it’s clear the troops have failed in one of their primary objectives: defending their position.

The troops lose the battle as they are driven from their safe position.

But, fear not, they have vowed to win the war, even though they lost this battle.

Airsoft is a simulated war game that allows competitors to enter a real video game-like environment. Contestants are divided into teams of up to 40 soldiers and given a few main objectives, plus some smaller ones to complete. The game lasts an entire day and troops stay in the 23 hectare battlefield as long as they like. They each have an Airsoft gun, which strongly resembles a US military service rifle. The guns use either gas or battery power to shoot projectiles.

However, the competitors do more than just shoot each other. On Saturday, 26 November Airsoft HQ and members of the public held an event called Wings of Mercy in aid of the Africa Food for Thought (AFFT) non-profit organisation. The entry fees for the day consisted of two parts, non-perishable or canned foods to the value of R100 and R60 that was charged to control the number of entries. Almost 100 people entered and soon an entire bakkie load of food was collected to donate to the organisation. Each participant received a Wings of Mercy Velcro-backed patch and enjoyed an entire day of combat simulation. The patches were given to the participants to show the organisation’s appreciation for their generous donations.

“The event was a major success and we are looking forward to helping others in need in a similar manner,” said Paul Johnson, owner of Airsoft HQ.

To get a feel for the game, watch these videos:

This evolving sport is becoming more famous and has become a less painful alternative to playing paintball. Krugersdorp has its own Airsoft Head Quarters and battlefield called the Baltic Silo.

For more information about the sport, gear, guns, games and battlefields, visit the Airsoft HQ website at https://www.airsoft-hq.co.za/ or call 011 675 1500.

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