DropZone Airsoft
Site Review
- by Mad Badger

MAD BADGERS go on a road trip to DropZone Airsoft and have given us here at the Airsoft Odyssey blog their exclusive insight into this interesting site. For us 'Northerners' its a chance to glimpse the 'southern scene'. Read on....

Maree Badger writes....

The Badger advance guard took a trip to Waltham Abbey in Essex to explore a new site called Dropzone Airsoft. Dropzone has been operating since November 2012 at the Royal Gunpowder Mills, and covers an area of what appeared to be approximately 30 acres; spread across brushland, tracks, fortifications, woodland, a lake, and several buildings. The highest point on the site would be no higher than 30 feet from the lowest; which, for these old retired bones was a good thing!

On arrival at Dropzone, you park along a road in the safezone, facing into the actual woods games are later played in. Facilities wise there are clean toilets, a very good food caravan, small shop for essentials such as BB’s and sign in point, and the essential fresh and free tea & coffee. The safezone is professionally run, with staff welcome each group as they arrive. Approximately 15 minutes prior to briefing a member of staff walks along the long line of cars letting everyone know briefing is approaching. The players the site is attracting to date are mainly local, or London based, with several in small groups or teams, and very friendly. In fact, the friendly, family run atmosphere of the site, and the hard work that has been put into getting the site off the ground is evident from the first time you meet the staff.

At approximately 10.15am the safety briefing took place. For this, we walked to the end of the safezone to where several small buildings, a roadway leading further into the site, and a lake were. The safety briefing was brief to the point and friendly; stressing the risks at the site and who to contact, and how to contact, in the case of an emergency. The marshal team then again welcomed everyone to the site.

Following the briefing, the first game commenced at the far end of the site. Blues & Reds starting approximately 10 acres apart; the idea being to capture the woodland and buildings between the two parties. I have to say that this was where things started to go very well, and our entire group had ever growing smiles on our faces as all players were taking hits, short bursting their AEG’s or single shot or double tap, and strategy was applied as each side tried desperately to out circle or outwit the enemy across fields, through woods, over a small hill with fortifications, along tracks around a lake, over a creek and around obstacles. In the end I cannot remember who won, but when all the players were called together and were standing there introducing each other, having a laugh, I gained the distinct impression that we all had won!


Game two commenced shortly after. Game two was the traditional fall back game, with some added twists. As the site has a lot of features, and is a long, twisting rectangle in shape, the marshalling team had designed a fall back game that would take in three major feature points of the site that had to be, by one team, defended, and by the other team, attacked. As you obtained two hits, you were required to fall back to the next feature. This game got off to a great start, and flowed brilliantly from one feature of the site to another, with the marshals ensuring that players knew where they were going as they fell back. During my first fall back I also discovered some of the hidden features of the site, that would be incredible to attack/defend on a night game or weekender; old tunnels and fortifications! This game went for quite some time, and by the time it was all called as over, it was time to re-load and consider lunch.

Lunch on site was served from the burger van, with very good quality burgers, or salad rolls or other food on request. The quality was excellent and the pricing reasonable. Cold drinks were kept so cold they were a real pleasure. Tea and coffee was free all day, which is a major bonus on any site.
After lunch two more games were undertaken, which evolved around attack and defend of buildings and site features, and a downed pilot. A major plus here was the single shot rule being applied to firing into buildings, to ensure that players were safe. Both afternoon games flowed very well, and were played not too far from the safezone, so players could return to reload at any time. Games concluded at approximately 5.30pm.

So, all in all, a great day! The best aspects to the day were the friendly and committed staff, the way marshals had put a lot of care into game planning in order that games flowed, the physical features of the site, and the way the safezone is structured. Areas to consider would be to consider having a patrol scenario, such as breaking up players into groups of six, with each group taking out the other, patrolling across the many features of the site. This would add to the use of the features and push the sites to its physical limits. Other than positive suggestions such as that, in six years the author has seen few new sites that hold more potential, right on the border of London. This site is definitely up and coming! Congratulations to the Dropzone Team. We look very forward to re-visiting what, in the more than 20 years combined experience of the advance team, a leading site.

Dropzone Airsoft can be contacted through their website or Facebook page. Most gaming runs on fortnightly Saturdays.

Game fees:
Full day walk-on, from 10:00 to 16:00 - £25
Half day walk-on, from 10:00 to 13:00 - £15
There are no half day walk-on for afternoon games!

Hire:
G36c Rifle, one magazine, full face mask, clothing and your first 1200 BBs - £20. This does not include your walk-on fee.

The Address: Dropzone Airsoft
Royal Gunpowder Mills, Beaulieu Drive, Waltham Abbey, Essex, EN9 1JY


Website:
http://www.dropzoneairsoft.co.uk/
and on FACEBOOK HERE

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