Press

THE PEOPLE    (National news paper)

Online Link: The People.co.uk

COME and join in military games like those tackled by the actors in hit film Battle: Los Angeles, said my invite.

Easy. Itll just be a posher version of paintball, I thought. How wrong I was!

We were greeted by the guys at Firefight Combat Simulations who looked very intimidating with their big guns and Army fatigues.

I wondered if they {remembered we were in Bexley, south London, rather than a burning LA in the middle of an alien {invasion in the film starring Aaron Eckhart and Michelle Rodriguez.

Airsoft is a combat sport that started in Japan and was brought here around 20 years ago. Players use battery or gas operated replicas to fire 6mm plastic pellets.

Its a lot less messy and more tactical than {paintball. And for our day at the derelict Forest Labs complex, FCS {director Andy brought in extra {support to make our experience as gruelling as possible.

As the guys also train Close Protection Operatives (bodyguards for powerful people), Andy, Dan The Army Man and the rest of the team Charlie, Kris, Pete and Al Pacino came in disguise.

But as I got to know them, I realised they were very skilled {pussycats in masks and desert boots and out to make my day exciting.

After a quick {lesson in how to use our guns, our torture began. Walking around the crumbling building that used to house a laboratory, it was easy to be spooked by the eerily empty rooms.

Our first test was to run an obstacle course of boxes while firing at a target harder than it looked. When we had to do the same while being shot at, the adrenaline really kicked in.

Next up was a long lesson in close-quarters combat. Having to think {tactically while getting shot at was almost too much for our team and a fit of giggles nearly blew our mission. But we soon got serious and kicked some butt.

After lunch I was ready for the toughest part of the day pressure testing. Using all the skills wed learned earlier, we had to ambush a team and rescue some hostages.

I even earned the nickname ninja because I tried to always push forward even though my brain was telling me to run for cover.

As we ran up and down and dodged pellets I realised this was a serious {business and you really had to be on guard.

Get too cocky and you can shoot your fellow soldier. Dont crouch when youre told and you get shot. This was a game for grown-ups and I loved it.

FCS can tailor the day to fit those seeking something a little different for {birthdays, hen and stag parties.

In the week after I felt like I had run a marathon. But as the aches eased and the bruises faded, the memories stayed strong.

Testimonials-----------------------------------

If there ever was an official Airsoft site rating, FCS would score high in all three categories in terms of safety, fun and training. Having visited FCS as a newcomer, I can honestly say that the staff are friendly, cheerful and fun to be around weather you’re on the field or relaxing between games.   FCS is a perfect balance of both fun fast paced skirmishing and applicable CQB/ CQC training techniques. Where most sites offer just “lock, load and shoot scenarios”, FCS go out of their way to build the novice skirmisher from the ground up with useful tips with simple firearms safety to breaching and room clearing.

As an freelance skirmisher now in the United States(MD/VA), I am pleased to have trained with FCS as every team I have skirmished with have given me positive feedback of my CQC abilities gained from FCS tutelage. One such humorous example was when the Op-for were advancing across a 50 meter warehouse to the halfway mark. With focused contact calls and aggression, the Op-for naturally fell back to their spawn point without my team firing a single shot (amazing and funny as we couldn’t find any contacts after as they fell back).

In short FCS offers interesting scenarios for all levels of skirmishers with medium scale unique sites that won’t take you 20 minutes to find your team mates. Perfect.

Mr.T M

**

I had been airsofting for under a year when I attended a CQB Refresher evening at the Academy shortly before it was closed. Having never done any tactical training, I wasn't sure what to expect, but the FCS team were friendly and welcoming.

We started out doing some movement practice (covering-fire + communication drills) to warm up, then we were asked as a group what we wanted to focus on. We spent the remainder of the evening running Room Clearing Drills with Andy and John and it was a blast. Both instructors knew their stuff inside and out and the amount of knowledge impressed upon us was amazing. Over the course of the night I went from being a Rambo spray-and-pray player, to a member of a cohesive tactical unit working as one. It was an amazing experience.

Before I knew it the evening was over, but the lessons I learnt that night have stayed with me. Simple things like fire and manoeuvre and communication translate to all battlefields and I often find myself with an advantage over players who've had no training, even when in woodland with much wider spaces.

A big thank you to Andy and the FCS team! Hope to attend many more training sessions like it.

Dave

**

I have attended a number of airsoft events with another company and I have to say that after one day of playing with FCS it is an incredible difference.

With FCS, the matches are more tactical based with various role plays and scenarios. I never experienced this kind of tactical level with the previous company.

The guys at FCS are incredibly helpfull providing brilliant tips on how to survive longer in the matches. I am cannot wait for the forest labs event as I have heard that this area has even more variables then the bunker.

Mr A

**

The FCS Team are very friendly and helpful making people new to airsoft welcome. Their success is in this is shown by their loyal membership which is growing. A great way to start in Airsoft with well organised and run events.

Mr T C