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Very large sites.


ninja master of coffee

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I'm currently living in southern Spain, the airsoft club I am a member of is getting use of a very large site. On google earth the area measured around 2.86Km 2 (approximately 700 acres). It is dominated by two small mountains/really big rocky hills (I don't know what they technically qualify as), which are pretty rocky and steep, bellow that the site is mostly on the sides of said mountains, steep, mostly covered by olive trees and such, with the odd ruined building.

 

We're also getting use of a smaller, adjacent site which is around 90 acres, a size a I am far more familiar with, though still large compared to many UK sites. My immeadiate ideas for the larger site are to effectively break up play into different zones or sectors so it doesn't get too spread out, plus, if possible organise some vehicular transport around the site, walking from one end to the other would take a long time. Additionally, impressing on people that they need to bring enough water and food for the day, as well as to wear hiking boots, not trainers or work boots.

 

That's more admin than game ideas though, so, what experience does anyone have of using sites on this scale, and this kind of terrain?

 

Cheers!

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My first site was big, and very hilly/rocky/slippy. It had large drops to a river and was ace but not good without decent footwear.

 

If I were you I would impose a 'no boots, no play' rule, as you will still get *fruitcage*wits turning up in trainers or sandals otherwise.

 

We had a guy break a leg as he was in trainers. In the middle of a bleak northern winter where said site was high enough to get a few feet of snow...

 

I'm guessing you're running things from your post?

 

If so, keep spare water for the muppets who forget theirs. Maybe charge for it so they won't forget again.

 

Have an evac plan in case someone does tumble and become immobile a mile or more from the car park/access point.

 

Cordon off areas that look even slightly dodgy, and kick people out straight away if they enter those areas as a learning curve for others.

 

Have game plans for varying numbers of people. If you have only a few turn up for example, there's no point utilising the whole site. Give yourself options.

 

If we had decent numbers, a few regs would arrive early and go and set up for the day on the other side of the site so we could use more of the area without having to trek back to the 1 safe zone/admin area each game. This worked, saved time and gave others a good sense of advancing towards an enemy they hadn't just watched set off so gained an idea of location or numbers.

 

I'll add more if I think of it, and my apologies if I'm teaching you to suck eggs!

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I'm not running things, but the club is pretty good for feeding in ideas and discussing stuff. I'm also friends with some of those who do organise the days.

 

Yes, I think no boots and no water, no play should be mandatory. I think in terms of cordoning off places, it's such a large site that we won't be able to get to everything but hopefully keeping play localised to specific zones will stop people from doing stuff that's too stupid.

 

The evac plan is a really good point. Should probably also find out who is a first aider and make that information known generally.

 

Cheers!

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"If so, keep spare water for the muppets who forget theirs. Maybe charge for it so they won't forget again."

 

Hopefully we will be doing games that involve things like regen packs, I will suggest that those packs contain a couple of litres of water so that should someone not bring any, or drink all of theirs, there is still water for them. Additionally, things like a mini first aid kit in case someone lightly injures themselves.

 

"If we had decent numbers, a few regs would arrive early and go and set up for the day on the other side of the site so we could use more of the area without having to trek back to the 1 safe zone/admin area each game. This worked, saved time and gave others a good sense of advancing towards an enemy they hadn't just watched set off so gained an idea of location or numbers."

 

Good idea! I think investigating the possibility of vehicle transport to some of the more remote areas for just this purpose would also be smart.

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We have a 7Km2 (~1700 acres) site here in northern Spain, which is VERY rare to have. I can assure you we haven't used half of it, since great parts of the area is very dense forest and bush, which is simply impassable.
 

Since we don't have big games usually, we play in certain areas we know better, and stay in one square Km or so for the morning games. There's a gravel road that goes from the entrance gate to an abandoned village 1Km up the mountain, so we can opt to park close to the entrance or go all the way to the buildings. That keeps the scenery different but also keeps easy access to water or other things like spares and such.

I keep an old Jeep running and take it to the games just in case we need to evac someone. I've used it a couple times to rescue someone from the mountain sides after an accident, but some kind of 4x4 vehicle is really nice to have for those cases. Inside I keep a basic medkit, tools, springer shotguns to lend and other things we could need.

 

The two buildings that still have roof are "no access" areas, since they could collapse.

 

Respawn areas and other rules change depending on the game, but we have several plates and road markers that we can use for respawns, objectives, etc.

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I have no idea if anyone in the club has access to one but I shall ask. The club system here is a bit unusual compared to airsoft sites in the UK. Our club runs private games with friendly clubs being invited to come to games, that means very cheap airsofting, but sometimes certain things not being available as it's just about what individual members own, and a bit of stuff paid for via club memberships dues.

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Welcome to the Spanish airsoft!

 

The usual is as you said, a group gets (for free or minimal fee) the use (and care!) of a site and invite the ones they know will not mess and so and so.

 

For the water: set objectives that include transporting wounded puppets or the like from A to B, get water bottles to form the puppet/precious uranium cargo to transport and you are set, the players will transport willing or not the extra supply of water.

 

For the places climbing: explain the prohibition to use it or you will end with some crazy one trying (and getting to climb or to break a leg, arm... and plenty of problems). Also you may be interested in setting a rigging line on some places and get it part of the game (of you go for this make sure someone with climbing experience sets the line and fixes it properly as much as the players using it have a proper harness and retention device (carabiners, grigri...) CERTIFIED. (decathlon may be your sure place)

 

When we were doing the mongers desert games in Tardienta for up to 300 players, we had some 4X4 and the teams were conscious of the need to bring extra water, but also we had the permanent bar on site, unfortunately a quad unless you get a 125 automatic one is not so usual in Spain and driving without license plates unless inside private lands is forbidden.

 

PS: you went of Spain, I came to Edinburgh, iron at it´s best (and haven't been able to play in one year :()

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Yeah, been here about a year and half now. All useful info, I have no idea if anyone in the club has climbing experience and certification. I technically have top rope certification but I've not been in ages so I wouldn't want to actually set up a belay device or harness without someone first re-instructing me. Actually affixing protective equipment, no idea, never done it. Hopefully people will either not try to free climb anything or give up when they realise how steep it is. It's basically a steep hill that abruptly turns into full on cliffs.

 

I'm pretty sure that a couple of people have 4x4s, so transport and evac should be possible to sort out. Probably a good idea to map out all tracks and maybe have a dedicated radio frequency for first aiders and 4x4 drivers to respond to.

 

How is Edinburgh? I've never been, only ever gone to Scotland for walking holidays in the highlands.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Edinburgh is lovely, hope to be able to play by the end of this month or next one, the weather is not as bad as everyone say and thanks to the rain you have real forests, wild life even in the city parks and (sorry to say) Scottish people are much more friendly than english :P.

 

I have been reading about "Landwarrior" and contacted then to confirm that I will be able to get my UKARA registration and excuse to import my guns here.

 

But at the end the dream is getting to move to Orkney islands so soon or later will need to investigate further north.

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  • 1 year later...

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