Berget 6: Convoy Operations is coming up now. It'll be from the 25th until the 29th of June. Berget is the biggest international event held annually in Sweden and this is a must attend event for your whole airsoft life, even just once (last year's Berget 5 gathered over 1,800 players from all over). With many players attending from different parts of the world, this is a once in a lifetime event for those who are not from Europe. And we'll be there to cover this event for the first time.

If things go according to plan, we'll give you the highlights of the event on a daily basis starting in June 25 until June 29 (if our operators still have the energy to file a report after the "Beer night" on the eve of the 28th) which will be reported by our new operator "Orac" from the UK-based ACE-Brigade Warhawks on his first assignment. Buckshot, who is from Sweden himself, will give you the full after action report for the August 2008 issue of the Popular Airsoft Magazine.

The Berget organisers have thougthfully set up a press centre for the media to go to. They'll be providing wifi access so this means the our operators can upload photos and their reports from the event site.

Now, to learn more about Berget 6: Convoy Operations, here is the storyline:

"The small country of Liburania has since the end of 2004 been plagued by a bloody civil war after the assasination of the governing dictator. He was assassinated by followers of the SRP (Separatist Reform Party). The war has been fought by several local warlords and the SRP. In October 2007 there was a truce after UN and NATO put pressure on all involved parties. The Dictators former military adviser General Conrad Grant is a man of huge influence among the military ranks and among civilian military contractors national and international. He used this influence to stage a military coupe to take control over the army and with their help large portions of the country. Despite this is the SRP still in control of the small southern region were the nations oilfields can be found. At the moment they are the countries primary form of income while in ruins of the civil war.

Thousands are dead or dying from the conflict and the pandemic virus called X-54. After the truce was enforced Russian pharmaceutical companies has started to produce an antidote that is sold on the black market for astronomical prices. Only those with insane amounts of cash or other forms of valuable items can get their hands on the antidote and thus save themselves and their loved ones.

Since 2005 has UN been in control of a refugee camp in the eastern regions, recently many in this camp have fallen ill after being in contact with the virus. These are dead or dying and the need for the serum is great. The transportation of the antidote has been hard due to interference from local warlords and troop belonging to General C.Grant. They have used guerrilla tactics and SAM-7´s to attack both convoys and cargo planes. A total "No flight zone" has been issued over all of Liburania and the situation is critical. NATO has been given mandate by the security council to with any force necessary escort these convoys to the refugee camp.

The Virus X54

X-54 was developed by Soviet scientists during the cold war but was never used in any conflict. After the fall of the Soviet Union the existence of X-54 fell into oblivion. In the year of 1998 alarming reports came from a Russian village. Its citizens had fallen sick after burglars had broken into an old military science facility located in a bunker. The village was quickly quarantined and Russian authorities covered up the existence of X-54 and the village was erased from the earths surface.

X-54 was first known to the global public in the year 2004 when it was first used in the conflict in Liburania, after analysis they could come to the conclusion that the virus was not of natural origin. It was a new type of spore bacteria capable of extreme temperatures and surviving under hard conditions without biological contact during long periods of time. The virus does only affect people and spreads by spores making their way into the human body through food, breathing or through the pores.

The incubation period is very rapid first attacking the nervous system. Symptoms are fever, vomiting and dizziness. One hour after infection read bruising can be seen in the armpits and knee pits of the infected. Inside the timespan of two hours the infected will become unconscious and shortly after death will occur by respiratory arrest. The only known way to stop the infection is to keep the infected on a respirator, despite this the victim will die unless injected by the antidote and despite this many of them will die due to organ failure. The infection can be stopped all together, and any harm to the body can be stopped if the infected is injected with the antidote.

THE PLAYERS

NATO
NATO has entered the conflict when none of the fighting parties has complied to the demands put on them by the UN. NATO troops have been assigned to nearby countries on high alert to be able to respond on a minutes notice to support UN and bring stability to the region. Several of the local warlords are suspected of possessing advanced antiaircraft weapons. (SAM-7) This has led to the country being a strict no flight zone. The need of supplies and medicine to cure people infected by the virus X-54 is immense.

UN-Forces
After the dictator had been usurped the UN's presence was focused on humanitarian aid and support to the civilians in the area. The UN has with the acceleration of the conflict pleaded to NATO for reinforcements to be able to perform their assignments.

Separatist Reform Party (SRP)
The Nations Reform Coalition was formed by the elected parties and has through the entire war fought for the formation of a democratic government of the people. In the aftermath of of the conflict that ended the era of the dictator, SRP has fought to prevent the local warlord General Conrad Grant and his army to take control over the countries natural resources, and to gain political power. SRP are neutral towards the UN although there has been deterioration in relations since numerous incidents where NATO forces have bombed SRP controlled convoys and bases. SRP has declared themselves as the group with the right to govern the country. The UN have not supported SRP in the pursuit of political power, this has led to further tensions between the two groups. Recently there has been several reports on UN and NATO convoys being attacked by SRP-forces despite their official relations towards the allied forces.

General Conrad´s Mercenaries
General Conrad was previously a military adviser to the dictator and helped him smuggle advanced weapon systems into the country despite international sanctions. Conrad is a former CIA-agent that has been wanted in numerous countries for crimes against humanity. Conrad has connections to security companies and paramilitary groups from all over the world. He has hired personnel from numerous of these groups to be able to take control of the country and its natural resources. Conrad has been active in the spreading of the X54-virus and possess several weapon systems capable of spreading it further over a vast area.

Smugglers, Bandits & Civilians
Most of the civilians have escaped to UN controlled zones or been recruited by one of the local warlords. Others try to profit from the war by being smugglers or looters trying to earn their living by sell stolen goods and medicines."

GAME ON!