During the Cold War military strategists of NATO and Warsaw Pact understood the strategic importance of the Fulda Gap. Fulda Gap is a flatland of the German town Fulda, which straddles East Germany and West Germany. It is a perfect place for mounting massive armored battles which means that when the Warsaw Pact attacked, they will pour all armored units into this area and make a breakthrough that will allow them to steamroll all over Western Europe. It was massively defended by NATO and the Warsaw Pact planned its point of attack there. World War III in Europe never happened in the 20th Century, and thus, a massive battle at the Fulda Gap never occured.

But in airsoft, the Fulda Gap battle happened. For four years, since 2006, NATO and Warsaw Forces converge in North Carolina, USA to battle it out and find out who really had the best strategy in winning the Fulda Gap. Unfortunately for NATO, the Warsaw Forces have been beating their forces in all those years and this year NATO aims to reverse the role and be the victors this time. However, the Warsaw Pact forces are ready to repulse their plans and intend to defeat the defenders of Western Europe again. Fulda Gap 2010 is happening this weekend, 15-17 October 2010.

Thus, that is the Fulda Gap, where a theoretical military battle gets its tested again. Airsoft players from the Eastern seaboard of the United States will again fight it out this weekend. Players have registered yesterday and the main battle begins today and will end tomorrow. Almost good number of players attended last year's game and the organizers intend to have an even larger participation this year. Making Fulda Gap a must attend event in the airsoft world, similar to Groundzero in the United Kingdom, and Berget in Sweden.

Fulda Gap will be a vehicle-filled battle, as the Fulda Gap was a projected armored-warfare by military planners during the cold war. Popular Airsoft's good friend, Thumpy of Thumpy's 3-D House of Airsoft, and he has been blogging updates leading to today. A MOUT site has been erected and they're expecting some protracted battles in the area, where most players will be bogged down and fight it out. There will be special mission cards and a night game to make the players occupied. So expect Thumpy's special after action report next week.

Some people will get to pop some tanks this weekend.

Photo Credit: Thumpy.