My first Ground Zero National Airsoft Event (NAE or also as the National Airsoft Festival) experience was epic! I had to take loads of player photographs and failed miserably as I could not stop playing! It all started for me on Saturday morning, making an early rise and a two-hour drive to the NAE. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it for the whole weekend, but just as the organization put so well, you can do your own thing, make it your own event.

Arriving there was easy, my Satnav easily found the postcode provided and it was clearly marked from the road.

Once I got there, I saw people registering to confirm their bookings and get their kits, since you could book in advance or even just do a spur of moment thing and just walk on one of the event days. Just great since not all of us are able to plan their lives with a lot of time in advance. Booking was closed on the 1st of August 2015 to give time for H and the organisers to prepare the event based on the confirmed advanced bookings.

So I took myself for a stroll around the stall area, which looked more a like a small Vietnam village with speakers boasting the Apocalypse Now, Good Morning Vietnam and several other well known theme songs from war movies.

Many were already up and about eating and drinking at the various stalls that had been installed at the village.

I then started looking for the range to zero my AEG, afraid that it was going to be small and very busy. It was busy indeed but was quite spacious and had more than enough slots for everyone to shoot at the great steel targets that included distance markings. Just brilliant!

At around 0900H I get the first real impression of how big the NAE is --- as a sea of people who were eagerly waiting for the briefing, and to get to know the objectives and game rules, congregated on the village centre. The briefing took the needed time but not too long, which was great!

Come 1000H all players were hushed to their respective bases where everyone was cheerfully chatting and gathered in their smaller groups and teams. Then out of the blue came huge explosions, and I mean HUGE!  Upon hearing the explosions, it was GAME ON! OH, YEAH!!!

Everyone started making their way to the objectives which included capturing nests, and raising flags, gathering drug packages, defending the base, and firing missiles.

Three teams were in play: Bravo (orange armband), Delta (green armband) and Others (blue armband). I was placed in the Others team and we swiftly went for the first nest which was on top of a hill.

Not long after, we encountered the first foes and the first skirmishes begun. I was still finding my way around the terrain when I was met by an enemy BB and had to make my way back to the Dead Zone which was very well identified with netting all around and a sign that indicated how long you had to wait. The sign did change as the day went by, since at the beginning we started with a 15-minute wait time to respawn and more to the middle of the day that sign then said 5 minutes.

This does bring an interesting consideration which is the fact that the whole organization headed by H was constantly monitoring the game and making it as dynamic and challenging to every team. By creating an evolving game plan, it meant that it gave every team a shot at winning, but most importantly kept things fluid and fun.

Ground Zero made this possible by having multiple game objectives that were revealed throughout the day once you made your way back to the base. Apart from the objectives declared on the mission briefing, these base mission orders helped each team to gain more points.

However, lunch came and most of us, including myself after finally getting shot, made our way to lunch only to comeback to get a taste of payback from the team that now had the hill! I have to give it to the Delta and Bravo teams that they made us work hard for each kill. Some rain ensued after a very warm and sunny morning, which was great and refreshing!

However, lunch came and most of us, me included after finally getting shot, made our way to lunch only to comeback and getting some payback from the team that now had the hill! I have to give it to the Delta and Bravo teams that they made us work hard for each kill. Some rain ensued after a very warm and sunny morning, which was great and refreshing!

We then moved to defend our base that we had to hold until 1630H from repeated attacks, and then we had to move to the OP situated on top of another hill as the game approached its last couple of hours.

Here it was also another great Airsoft moment with all teams moving in masses up the hill.

I found myself going over a hill with many paths made of massive bushes on both sides and a strong resistance from the opposing forces. Many of them hiding in the bushes took many of us by surprise as we were making our way up, so I doubled back a bit, got myself into those bushes which looked more like the Dagobah forest and was able to intercept several attack attempts to my teammates as I hid in one of the small holes and waited for them! Just brilliant! I then decided to progress into the enemy territory only to find a gun point at my head just as I left the giant bush! Well played, whoever you are!

I then made a small break to eat something and realised it was only 5 minutes from the end of the game and I still felt compelled to re-join the killing, so I headed back the hill towards all the yelling, explosions and mayhem that was then taking place as the last attack happened. Just glorious. Hearing around 2,000 players all yell at the same time as the last moments of the game were happening and everyone shooting was just epic!

Coming back to the Village it was time to eat, drink and socialize! The weather started to get a bit chillier and rainy but still quite bearable. I just had to get something warm to eat. Fortunately you could choose from hot dogs, to burgers, sausages and pizzas. I ate a brilliant wood-fired pizza which was the most comforting meal of the day!

Then I moved on to the other stalls where there were a few brands represented, such as Viper Tactical, which were showcasing their very nice tactical gear. They were also running a COD competition in which a player could win a brand new Viper Lazer Cut Molle System.

Next up, I made a stop at the Magnum Boots stall and learned some nice facts about where their boots have been deployed a bit all over the world, including being used by the Brazilian BOPE which even helped to design their products, mainly the Spider boots based on their feedback.

Incentive Designs were also there with a purpose built WWII Church featuring a huge LMG on the tower bell, just wonderful stuff from these guys.
Tippman were there with their gas propelled airsoft guns, as their entries to the Airsoft market. These are quite light when handling, and have a nice construction. The gas bottle on the grip does seem to be a bit awkward, but there’s an option to run it with a hose.

Tippman were there with their gas propelled airsoft guns, as their entries to the Airsoft market. These are quite light when handling, and have a nice construction. The gas bottle on the grip does seem to be a bit awkward, but there’s an option to run it with a hose.

Dynatex Grenades were also there with their well-known range of BFG.

Other retailers and companies such as Flecktarn.co.uk, GBF Militaria and others were also present and had their hands full with the many queries from the NAE participants.

The Pilgrim Bandits charity was also there, to remember the strength and resilience of the human spirit before adversity and help keep hope and give a reason to live to injured servicewomen and serviceman.

The Zero One Airsoft was of course there and in full strength with their massive 4,800sq. ft. structure inside of which were hundreds of Airsoft products, from tactical gear to AEG’s, pistols, batteries, accessories and even internals. It is an impressive the amount of stock that these guys hauled into this event! The shop was of course highly sought as some last minute and not so last minute purchases took place.

Also very sought for was the repair shop which had a significant queue, and couldn’t have proved more convenient to the many airsofters who had the misfortune of having malfunctions in their guns.

Next to the shop, there was a bar with live music to keep the spirits up and warm throughout the night, and just behind the stage was the G&G Armament Shooting Competition, where a team of two could experience a course of targets in a very nicely setup environment where you had to do some team work in order to shoot all the targets in the shortest amount of time. The winning duo from that weekend would then be given a chance to travel to Taiwan with all expenses paid and have a go at the 2015 G&G World Cup Shooting Competition where they will get a chance to win a big cash prize of US$10,000!

The course consisted of a 5x5 wall of the  MET target system that you had to shoot, followed by an obstacle course with many MET targets which made the players work as a team in order to get through the course at the fastest time.

At the end of the day, one of the day’s highlights happened when 14 AEGs where raffled amongst the players present at that time and then a dozen more prices were also given away on the big screen. I had the privilege to participate on the draw and have a unique perspective of an assembly of over 2,000 players, the record so far on any NAE event since it first started in 2007!

I came home that evening just gutted I couldn’t stay there for the next day. But I know now as I leave this great event that has been so carefully put together by people who know and love the sport as much or even more than I do, that I will book holiday and will do the whole weekend next year!

More photos at the Popular Airsoft Facebook Page.