News relating to the sport. This includes important events, legislation changes, and articles from the media relating to Airsoft
The 11th Airsoft Players’ Choice Awards ceremony will be taking place this Saturday, 17th April 2021 online. Virtual presenters will be announcing the winners in 26 categories from 1100H BST (GMT+1). You can find further details here.
AMNB have been chosen by WETTI as their official media partner beside AA:
With great pleasure we like to inform you that we at AMNB have been chosen as the official media partner for WETTI from now on. Beside our friends from Airsoft Action, we will join forces to bring you the latest news from WE on both of our sites. We feel very honoured to be chosen and look forward to a great partnership in the future with both parties. Read more here.
(AMNB)
Land Warrior Airsoft have some news for Airsofters in Scotland following talks with the Scottish Government:
Just to confirm that Land Warrior has spent a couple of weeks in talks with the Scottish Government, we can confirm that Airsoft in Scotland is now allowed to go ahead following the current guidelines.
Obviously this presents some issues in terms of gaming types and numbers but it is definitely a positive step forward for the sports and peoples physical and mental wellbeing as well as great news for the industry as a whole. Roughly speaking we are asked to:
- Keep game numbers low to manage the car parking areas
- Cars are not shared
- Players must be from the local area only
- Social distancing must be maintained at all time
Of course the situation will be a challenge for every game site and business but I think we can all agree this is the best news in months!
Kind regards
Scott Allan
UKAPU have announced details of their 10th AGM:
The committee members of the United Kingdom Airsoft Players Union are pleased to announce the exciting news that we will be holding our 10th Annual General Meeting at Grange Live Gaming (Bravo1) in Birmingham this year – on the 29th of February.
Doors will be open from about 9am, and the UKAPU members only game day will start at about 10am.
Attendance of the game day is £20, of which £5 is a deposit that can be paid via https://www.ukapu.org.uk/agm-2020
If you’re coming by car, you’ll need to pay separately for parking as it’s in the centre of Birmingham.
There’ll definitely be cake – and there’ll even be a special 10th birthday raffle, stay tuned for more information.
As is with every general meeting, every position is open for re-election – even that of the chairman – and if you’re interested in joining the committee, please send us a message.
Not already a member? Why not! You can join UKAPU today, for free, by going to https://www.ukapu.org.uk/join
We at UKAPU look forward to seeing you at our very special 10th Annual General Meeting (and birthday!) at the end of February.
(UKAPU)
TAGinn have launched a new project:
The new project by TAGinn – "TAGinn Squad"
(TAGinn)
AMNB have highlighted a law change which if it comes into force will affect German airsofters:
Hi Arnies, You maybe help out sharing this for the Germany based readers of your page too as this law change effects airsoft magazines as well! But we can stop it if they sign the petition!!
(AMNB)
Readers of this site will undoubtedly be passionate about getting outdoors and experiencing the thrills of airsoft. For many it’s not a hobby, but a passion. Yet, as you sit and read this, how many people around the world are playing airsoft at this time? One thousand? Ten thousand? Then, consider how many people are playing first-person shooter or military strategy video games at the moment. We are talking about millions of players, who have formed not only a multi-billion-pound industry, but a vast community as well.
It’s been written many times over the last few decades about how the existence of video games poses an existential threat to outdoor activities. Indeed, it’s been that way since the old Atari consoles of the 1970s. Yet, today we are looking at games that are designed to provide immersion of players through V.R and other immersive technologies. Above all though, it is the fact that players are connected online, in (virtual) proximity to each other in much the same way as you would be when participating in airsoft.
Consider something like CS:GO (Counter Strike: Global Offensive). According to the Steam charts, the average number of players playing the game in May 2019 was 364,417. That number refers to the average at any given moment, not the number of plays or login in the month. At its peak, almost double that number would have been playing online simultaneously. The statistics are mind-boggling, and that’s just one example among dozens of popular games of that nature.
eSports has exploded in popularity
Indeed, there has been a massive rise in interest in the whole area of eSports, with shooting and strategy games among the most important. In the United States, the television networks have jumped on board, providing live coverage of eSports tournaments in order to capitalise on its popularity.
The industry is wildly competitive, with non-players also taking part in eSports betting. A quick glance on 888sport’s eSports page shows hundreds of markets, with betting lines like Evil Geniuses at 5/1 to win EPICENTER, or LEC to win Rift Rivals at 33/100, as well as references to things like “skins” and “maps”. It’s presented like regular sports betting, but with unfamiliar names and terminology.
Can’t beat the real thing
eSports is often given the tagline, “the most popular sport you have never heard off” thanks to the millions watching online, and the fact in places like South Korea tournaments sell out huge stadiums. But does the fact that there are millions around the world playing these games pose a threat to activities like airsoft or paintball? It’s a difficult question to answer without falling into the clichés that have always surrounded video games.
However, we should say that while online gaming has created virtual worlds laden with wonderful graphics and provides experiences that trick the senses into believing they are real, there is still something lacking from these games that – as of yet – are not able to replace the feeling of something like airsoft.
It may be that it’s the physical sensation of getting hit, the way your heart pounds when someone points an airsoft gun at you or the fact that you might have to deal with ‘real’ problems like the weather or getting your feet wet. The suspension of belief is different in the virtual world. It could be the case that one day that we’ll all be playing airsoft online, but that day still looks a fair distance off yet.
The UKAPU’s AGM will be taking place at The Grange in Birmingham on Saturday 12th January:
2018 is fast coming to a close and the new year is soon to be upon us again and so we’d love to invite all of our members to the 2019 Game Day & Annual General Meeting – hosted on Saturday 12th of January, to be held at the Grange Live Gaming in Birmingham. Doors will open for 8.30am, and we will hopefully start playing at 10.00am.
Cost for attending this UKAPU exclusive game day is £25 (£5 deposit and £20 on the door). The venue itself has no parking but, there is very reasonably priced parking around the venue.
Link to pay deposit/secure attendance to game day: https://www.ukapu.org.uk/agm-2019
Three important notes to make:
1) Not a member? You can join UKAPU today for free – please visit https://www.ukapu.org.uk/join for further details.
2) The nomination period is open for all positions (as it is every year), so if you wish to join the committee in either a vacant position, or challenge someone who already holds a position and is up for re-election, please contact us.
3) We are still accepting points to discuss at the AGM/management meeting, please forward these to us if you have any.
We at the UKAPU committee look forward to your attendance!
…Release ends…
Have a great Christmas and New Year!
Regards,
Jon Hill
UKAPU Press Officer
(UKAPU)
Earlier this week Frank Bothamley from Firesupport told us about his charity cycling challenge, you can now follow his progress on Facebook:
I now have a facebook group set up so that people can follow my journey across the UK
https://www.facebook.com/groups/266809840618886/
I am raising money for a local Homeless charity called Hope into Action.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Frank-Bothamley
Frank Bothamley from Firesupport is taking part in a mega bike ride from Lands End to John O Groats in aid of charity, good luck Frank!:
In September I undertake a mammoth challenge of riding 980 miles over 9 days with 52000 feet of climbs for Charity.
I have been in training for 10 months and ridden 4000 plus miles as part of my training
Am hoping to raise money for a local Homeless charity called Hope into Action.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Frank-BothamleyRegards
Frank Bothamley
UKAPU and Polarstar have a poll for HPA users:
Ever since the introduction of the amended Policing and Crime Bill last year there has been a cloud hanging over HPA RIF users in the UK. Specifically that most full auto capable HPA airsoft replicas could be ‘readily converted’ to exceed the 1.3J airsoft threshold, or could be regarded as ‘capable of’ more than 1.3J in their stock form.
UKAPU have been actively pursuing a resolution for HPA users and as part of this ongoing effort, Vice Chairman Tim Haines, has been involved in discussions with Polarstar to address the aforementioned issue and as a result we are conducting a poll on behalf of Polarstar.
How does this help HPA users? Polarstar are producing a modular regulator, which will allow UK HPA owners to build compliant HPA powered RIFs. Polarstar will be producing piston regulator assemblies for multiple PSI settings, which we hope, will give us the means to ensure that selective fire HPA RIFS can be safely operated under the 1.3J legal limit.
We urge all of our members to share this poll; the greater the number of responses, the better the data.
(UKAPU)
The UKAPU have a new regional representative:We are pleased to announce the latest member of the UKAPU committee, Leigh Batson.Leigh will be taking on the role of regional representative for the Midlands and will be the main point of contact for dealing with issues and queries from UKAPU members in that area.We hope all UKAPU members will make her feel welcome!Now to hand over to Leigh herself…“I joined the world of Airsoft in 2015, originally as a photographer for my partner but, after shooting some of his airsoft guns I became really attached and brought my own, a G19 springer from the market. I only needed to practise until I could afford my pride and joy, a custom internal MP5K AEG PDW variant.I loved the game for the pure friendship everyone showed each other, both on and off the field. It gave me a way to spend some more time with my partner and to understand a sport I’d never really heard of until then.Fast forward to now and I am the proud owner of Task Force Stalker Airsoft, based primarily in Leighton Buzzard. I am also the team captain for Bedfordshire in the Inter-County Airsoft Competition.I volunteered to become part of the UKAPU because it meant I could actually make a difference in the sport and to be a part of something much bigger and more influential within the Airsoft community.I can’t wait to get stuck in to helping the UKAPU and its members. And as a female airsoft player, showing other girls that airsoft isn’t just for the boys.”
The UKAPU has sent out an update regarding the last raft of legislation that came and went, now a year on how do things look?
It has now been a year since the commencement of the Policing and Crime Act 2017 and thanks to the community, lobbying, retail and trade groups, airsoft ultimately came out on top. So here are a few words from the committee members here at UKAPU.
“Here we are then! A whole year has passed since the Policing and Crime Act 2017 came into effect; the Earth is still turning and we are all still happily enjoying our wonderful sport.
As a result of the PCA 2017 – and for the first time since airsoft arrived on our shores – it now has a proper definition in law. Airsoft has been referenced in primary legislation and is no longer loitering within secondary legislation. This is rather significant for us as it affords airsoft more protection and actually shows that parliament is happy for it to continue to exist.
UKAPU committee members worked tirelessly towards ensuring that skirmishers didn’t get a bum deal. Our primary goal was to ensure that skirmishers had a voice during the discussion and consultation stages, that we weren’t stuck with a 1 Joule maximum energy limit and that airsoft didn’t get shoehorned into or tacked onto some piece of existing firearms legislation.
It goes without saying that without all the support of our members we really would have struggled. Your donations contributed towards getting committee members to Home Office consultations and meetings, creating and distributing campaign materials and promoting the issue amongst the airsoft and firearms community and press.
Unfortunately after all this hard work we still have some unanswered questions. We are still dealing with a couple of grey areas with regard to the wording and players have been contacting us on a regular basis since the commencement of the PCA, all asking how they can stay legal. The present situation is that we can’t currently give any definitive advice. Trust us when we say this is as frustrating for us as it is for you and getting this situation rectified is still an ongoing priority.
So what can we take away from all of this? Though there are still some unknowns, airsoft is arguably in a much better place both politically and legally than it was before and strengthens our position lest we face challenges in the future”
So to celebrate the first anniversary of the PCA 2017, our chairman David has procured a cake! He said he would share it if he could but, as he can’t he will eat it on behalf of the committee and our members!
Jon Hill, (UKAPU)
UKAPU have announced details of their AGM:
The UKAPU AGM is the perfect opportunity for UKAPU members to ask questions, to make a suggestion or put forward an idea to the committee and to help steer the direction of UKAPU and Airsoft in the UK. Or maybe you just want a day out skirmishing! Either way, if you are a member, you are most welcome to join us!
The AGM is to be held at the very excellent The Gaol Events Airsoft site in Oakham on the 13th of January 2018.
Though the AGM is for members only, players can still participate by joining UKAPU for FREE via https://www.ukapu.org.uk/join/
About UKAPU: UKAPU is an unincorporated non-profit association formed by a dedicated group of Airsoft skirmishers to help protect and strengthen our hobby. By providing a united and official organisation that represents players, we can far more effectively engage in discussion with the government, other organisations, and the press when skirmishing comes under threat.
(UKAPU)
UKAPU have teamed up with the Western Australia Airsoft Club:
WESTERN AUSTRALIA AIRSOFT CLUB & UK AIRSOFT PLAYERS UNION AFFILIATE
Australian and British players team up to fight for airsoft
UK Airsoft Players Union and Western Australia Airsoft Club officially ‘tied the knot’ this month! The two organisations elected to officially affiliate, in recognition of their shared aims and values and in a show of international solidarity amongst airsoft players. Australia operates under common law which comes from in the UK, yet, in stark contrast to the UK, Airsoft is banned. WAAC has it’s work cut out for it in trying to get the ban lifted in a single state of Australia, with the hope that the other states will follow. The UKAPU committee was very impressed by the competence and commitment of the WAAC team and have confidence in their ability to lead the fledgling Australian airsoft community toward accomplishing this mammoth task.
“I am happy to announce that UKAPU is affiliated with Western Australia Airsoft Club, Inc.
The organisation is run by a few passionate individuals who are committed to getting Airsoft legalised within the state of Western Australia – and eventually propagating it throughout the rest of the country.
We’ve been supporting them for some time now. Their campaign is picking up momentum and good progress has already been made in their endeavour.”
David Weston, UKAPU ChairmanWAAC have already made some significant headway.
- They met with the Shadow Minister for Police, who stated that he was “embarrassed with the legislative regime” regarding the provisions of the Firearms Act being applied to the sport of Airsoft.
- Successfully ran a ‘Nerf gun amnesty’ campaign which caused a stir in local media regarding nonsensical firearms legislation in WA.
- This week they will be meeting with the State Minister for Police, the first ever airsoft group to be granted an audience.
For more information on the WAAC campaign please visit http://airsoftwa.com.au and like their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AirsoftWA/ and ask your Aussie mates to do so too, they really need the support of locals who may want to play airsoft in the future!
About UKAPU: UKAPU is an unincorporated non-profit association formed by a dedicated group of Airsoft skirmishers to help protect and strengthen our hobby. By providing a united and official organisation that represents players, we can far more effectively engage in discussion with the government, other organisations, and the press when skirmishing comes under threat.
(UKAPU)
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