Features

The Gathering 2008: Reloaded After Action Report

OptimusPrime

It was a wet Saturday, but the rains failed to dampen the spirits of various Filipino airsoft teams from all over the United Kingdom to gather and just let all the bbs out. The Gathering is an annual event of the ACE Brigade running on its second year, and is gathering more and more airsoft players each year. Last year's first The Gathering, which was held in Combat South, Portsmouth had 100 players. This year's Reloaded gathered 130 players at the Longmoor MOD Training Camp.

ACE Brigade, established in 2006, is one of the fastest growing airsoft federations in the UK, with 8 teams now under its fold: Warhawks, Wildcats, FilCombat, Team SAF, Blackcats, Worthing Red Fox, PA21, and the newest team, the Predators from East Anglia.  And  another team is in the offing from South Wales. The Gathering is always looked forward to, as it is always the time that all Filipino airsofters in the UK, and their friends gather together for a whole day of fun and mayhem.

Longmoor MOD Training Camp is always a favourite place for skirmishes by two of the largest teams, the Wildcats and the Warhawks. Maintained by Ambush Adventures for airsoft purposes when there is no actual military training happening and is a hard to book the place for private purposes. With the support of Ambush Adventures, The Gathering 2008: Reloaded took place there. The result: Urban Assault galore where everyone had their bit of fun, save for some hit calling and zombies, but everything went on under the rains --- to hell with their gear at the safe zone being drenched. Nothing will stop them from joining in the fun after several months of waiting.

Team SAF from the Isle of Man drove all the way, braving the cold and rainy weather conditions, while the Manchester-based PA21 (Pinoy Ammunition 21) with all their groovy hairdos (well, some of them went for a military cut now) just rocked and roll with their line up of Classic Army AEGs. Warhawks and FilCombat combined to assault the defending Wildcats who went in their official Vietman tiger stripe loadout. The place was teaming with multicams, multishams, and guccicams, whatever you want to call them. Good thing we went in our own contractor's loadout to cover the event.  The Predators were always game and the Worthing Redfox guys, diligent as always, went equally ferocious.

And as always, to end the event, came the raffle draw, which to our surprise, everyone just went out of their covers with their tickets on hand to listen if their numbers' been called. The raffle prizes were sponsored by Fire Support, Tactical Quartermaster, Tactical Options, RSOV.com, and of course, Popular Airsoft.

Let The Gathering 2008: Reloaded Gallery show the rest of the fun. (Published also at the Popular Airsoft Magazine April 2008 issue).

The Latest News

Feature Story

Airsoft Guns and Gear Reviews