Battle tactics tested in hills
An Upper Moutere farm became a battlefield, complete with military gear, tactics and camouflage.
The Nelson Airsoft Corps put its brand of realistic game-play into action during “Operation Viper†on Saturday.
Airsoft is a sport similar to paintball but with more of an emphasis on realistic gear and weapons, and tactical game-play.
Players fire spherical non-metallic bullets at one another with replica weapons which can range in style from a sniper rifle to a handgun. Most players have several guns strapped to them while playing.
A group of 26 showed up on Saturday, with participants from Christchurch and Dunedin joining in as part of a wider interclub weekend. Participants were split into two groups which headed off into the farmland.
President Joe Fraser said players took the military emphasis very seriously.
“You’d call it an open-field engagement,†he said of the day’s game.
“There’s some forestry to get into, too. Green ops, if you’re using that kind of language.â€
Fraser said around half of the gear worn by players was ex-military, with the other half made specifically for use in airsoft. The Nelson corps has its own camouflage pattern of preference – a German design known as “Flecktarnâ€.
Some players wore Palestinian-style keffiyeh scarves around their necks, and badges, helmets and even the top half of a ghillie suit were all in evidence. Two men showed up looking similar to the armed offenders squad with their weapons, gear and clothing all in black.
“Some people get pretty excited,†Fraser said. “Towards the end of the day, the excitement wears off.â€
The plan for the day was for each team to venture into the field and then engage one another in a series of ambush attacks over the course of three to 5 hours. Players who have been hit must stop playing until they can be “healed†by a player acting as medic.
Fraser said an airsoft bullet carried about half the impact of a paintball: “It’s much nicer. You don’t get covered with bruises.â€
Club secretary Amber Cherry, codenamed “Captrixâ€, said she usually played as a medic. Players choose their roles depending on what kind of weapon they carry.
“I just like the group,†she said. “It’s fun being outside in Nelson, getting muddy and running around.â€
The Nelson Mail