Gear for Night Games

[TerranCmdr]

Not patronizing at all, very good points all around.

[Danke]

Eh I can never wear a shemagh for more than a few minutes (too hot), unless it's bitter cold, but here in the bay area it never gets to be that bad.

Mesh mask. Then when you are listening with your mouth open (that really works) you won't eat a handful of BBs.

[Lightbulb]

Something you definitely need for night games which is not necessarily obvious: insect repellent.

I once went to a night game at my usual site - I counted (I am NOT exaggerating) 30 bites on one hand alone. My whole hand was bright red for about 4 days (until someone put some some tea tree oil on it which sorted out the colour and the itching after 5 minutes).

 

-----

 

Backup torch is a good idea.

 

My pistol torch went out in a pistol only CQB game last week (in tunnels, 80% of the site in total darkness). I was so glad I had a torch tied to me as instead of going back to the safe zone I just kept playing.

[docmop]

Maybe obvious but ... don't wear black!

[Deinhardt]

Marui MK23
Anything with pockets

3 mags

....

 

 

Go

[TerranCmdr]

Heh, if that's the case I might be at a slight disadvantage with my WE G39k.  Thing is pretty loud.

[Danke]

I run a loud gas gun and a tracer unit. I like to pop up and engage, and the continue to do so while the rest of the team flanks.

 

If you are with a good group, and the field suits this is a great short game; it's a jailbreak.

 

You have one or two armed guards as the situation calls for with bright white lights that must stay on at the end side of the field.

 

All the other players are unarmed except for an empty plastic water bottle (knife) at the other side of the field. When the whistle blows the escapees must cross the field to safety and the guards hunt them down. One life only for all.

 

The prisoners can tap the guards with an empty bottle to knife them. Those were chosen as a safer option than a training knife to outfit a whole group with on the spot.

 

You need to have a large finish line vs. as single point so the guards don't sit back and pick people off. If you want you can add time pressure on either side to ratchet up the stress.

[TerranCmdr]

Ok, after having played the night game this weekend, I can offer up a few things that I found out.

 

First off, I should have brought an actual handheld flashlight.  All I had were my taclights and my helmet light.  I also should have put filters on my taclights as someone else suggested already, because I didn't even use them for fear of completely giving my position away.

 

One of my buddies saved my *albatross* though by giving me some disposable hand warmers.  I taped them to my gas mags and they performed great in the 40degree F weather.

 

Clear goggle lenses are a must, it might not be as obvious but is very apparent once you're out in the dark.

 

Face paint is never a bad idea.

 

Always tape down anything that might make a noise.  Don't run with a bottle of BBs that will rattle the entire time.

 

Know where all your gear is located on you so you can find it by touch.

 

ALWAYS know the play area.  This is a mistake I made, I didn't memorize our objective area and so when my fire team got separated, we were basically lost and didn't know where to go next.  I couldn't look at my map because I didn't have a dim enough light.

 

Make sure to dial in your hop up before it gets dark.  May sound obvious but is something that is easy to forget.

 

Red chemlights make excellent dead markers - I pre-velcroed a few so I could just stick them to my helmet and it worked great.

 

 

All in all it was a great game, but we failed our main objective due to poor training and bad communication.  Every time I got my CO on the radio, he was overmodulating and I couldn't understand a word he was saying.  So I guess another piece of advice would be to do extensive comm checks before heading out into the field.

[EatTheGras]

my suggestions:

- Mesh mask for face protection.

- Small head lamp you can put on strobe and can be set on key positions for longer periods of time (roads, doorways etc..) Obviously directed towards the enemy.

- Black tape over your radio transmit lights.

 

And a lot of training how to move as a team with lights turning on and off (normally you assign some "marksmen" that provide a light from a save distance so others can advance) or a "marksmen" with a NV and tracer/laser unit (if its allowed).

[TerranCmdr]

The training thing is a must.  The game I went to turned into a cluster*fruitcage* because nobody knew what to do.

[shmook]

 

- Black tape over your radio transmit lights.

 

 

That. I forgot one night, was only a red light on a Motorola 446, but could be seen like a beacon!

[EatTheGras]

Yes, when you are checking yourself you normally do not transmit, or your radio is on your back so everything looks ok. Not a good thing to notice when you are holding your positions and enemy is approaching, and suddenly the bushes starts to blink red like a road block

[Tw1tch]

Got my first night game on Saturday, it's going to be CQB too, any specific advice for the environment type?

I reckon it's going to be a blast.

[Danke]

Is it lit, or pitch black, or a combo of both?

 

If you can do so without causing a stir rehearse some of your regular drills in the dark at home.

 

That will give you an idea if you will have issues to address instead of discovering it game. It can be something as simple as loading BBs in mags or as complex as coordinated your squad.

[hawaiianjuggernaut]

Mesh mask. Then when you are listening with your mouth open (that really works) you won't eat a handful of BBs.

Second that!

[Tw1tch]

From what I'm aware the site is unlit. Though they might have safety lights in to stop people hurting themselves.

 

I've heard (or possibly read in this very topic) that some people slide cyalumes down corridors to provide a bit of light without it originating from a team member. Thoughts?

[Danke]

Tossing a glow stick is a good way to mark areas but I can't see them lighting things very well.

 

A light on both of your weapons is good, spare batteries, a light on your person like a petzel light is great for tasks like loading mags and other admin. If you get the swanky kind it'll come up with a red filter. It's probably one of the best things I've ever bought and I use it tons outside of airsoft.

[TerranCmdr]

Yup, the one thing I really wish I had on that last night game was just a handheld flashlight.

 

Also if you have pressure switches on your taclights attached to your weapons, make sure they can't be easily activated by accident.  Will give away your position in a heartbeat.  Luckily this happened to me when I was already dead.

[hawaiianjuggernaut]

Yup, the one thing I really wish I had on that last night game was just a handheld flashlight.

 

Also make sure if you have pressure switches on your taclights attached to your weapons, make sure they can't be easily activated by accident.  Will give away your position in a heartbeat.  Luckily this happened to me when I was already dead.

Haha. That would suck for a CQB game!

 

"Okay guys, we're gonna go over to the enem.... WHO IN THE HELL TURNED ON THEIR LIGHT!? *POW* *POW* *POW* *POW*  HIT! HIT! HIT HIT!"

[Danke]

You want to get really good at using a white light as little as possible. Flash it on and off to ID targets. And move after or as you flash in case someone shoots back.

 

If you have a strobe option don't leave it on; that turns you into a BB magnet. You might put one target off their game but six more will notice you.

 

Make sure your tape switches or buttons are secure so you don't bump them on when you move. That's part of feeling out your setup prior to a game.

 

Don't get into the lumen arms race, especially if you're indoors. Shine your searchlight on a white wall and the light that bounces back will dazzle you also.

 

A penlight etc is good but like I said before you want it on your helmet, hat, or strapped to your rig. You can switch it on and still have your hands free.

[Agent Hunk]

Avoid tape switches like the plague if your rifle allows such a set up. You can still have an accidental discharge with a tail cap but not as easily should you not have the time to practice before a game.

[hawaiianjuggernaut]

Seriously considering investing in a Surefire 951 with a LaRue pressure switch rail mount.

 

This hobby is kinda expensive.

 

-Hawaiian

[hwagan]

I've never liked tape switches myself; I find they're a lot easier to activate accidentally during a game, difficult to place exactly where you need them on a weapon, and not quite as positive feeling as a tailcap button.

 

With the variety of mounts available these days, it's easy to set up a decent light where your thumb rests on the fore-end. Obviously each to their own, but personally I hate tape switches.

[Danke]

I find it all depends on what weapon it is and how you attach the switch. I like to have the switch tucked in between 2 rails so it can't be bumped. You can also cut out a rail cover and make it into a covered sort of doorbell switch.

 

The real key is awareness of the situation and being aware of the light. Weapons that I run with a light I leave hooked up all the time. Then I'm not dealing with a weird new feature when the sun goes down.

[Agent Hunk]

Agreed on leaving lights on. My two carbines have the lights mounted on them all the time. As a result I am used to it.

 

However I lent one of them out for a day and the light was getting trigger constantly despite being a push button.