First time @ The Stan (Sheffield)

[callumbagshaw]

Hi all,

Firstly sorry if this wrong section.

I'm playing my first game @ the Stan in Sheffield this Sunday (CQB).

I've played in woodland on countless occasions but never done CQB. Just wondered:

A ) Does anyone here play at the Stan regularly - if so, any "heads ups" etc?

B ) Does anyone have any recommendations for a first time CQB game? i.e. anything extra you should take, anything you should leave at home etc.

P.S - do they allow HPA? 

My loadout is:

Krytac CRB (may or may not take)

JG P98-1 (will take as it's nice and compact)

2x WE G19 w/extended mags - HPA tapped. (Was thinking of going with a single pistol - maybe dual wield as the day goes on)

WE XDM Compact (HPA Tapped)

KJW KC-02 and VSR will certainly be left at home.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Sacarathe]

Everything is general discussion now, this is reddit!

https://airsoft-forums.uk/index.php?/forum/51-skirmish-sites-stories-reviews/

But that's more for after action.

Obligatory bring your own protection and backup protection joke.

B ) Does anyone have any recommendations for a first time CQB game?

Click to shrink...

Neck and ear protection.

 

[callumbagshaw]

Neck and ear protection.

Click to shrink...

Cheers mate I'll cover me ears

I did check the skirmish sites section but couldn't see the Stan.

 

[Sacarathe]

Cheers mate I'll cover me ears

I did check the skirmish sites section but couldn't see the Stan.

Click to shrink...

There is a general forum below it.

 

[Albiscuit]

+1 for extra protection. 

If your not sed to cqb it may be a slight shock getting hosed from close up so you may want to cover up.

Not sure on the site so maybe take a torch, defo take more water than your used too, cqb can be warm work!

 

[L3wisD]

My advice for CQB is to not worry about what's in the room you're entering.

All too often at the mall, you see a gaggle of players stacking up outside of a room seemingly too scared to be the guy to go in first.

It does hurt more than woodland for sure, but you kind of get used to the extra pain in a nice way (like eating spicy chilli's! )

On the other hand, you might catch them off guard and take out the three guys giving your whole team trouble and you'll feel like a hero!

I've started being more brave and being the point man at The Mall and had more of a blast because of it.

 

[tomo9992]

the Stan is a nice compact Cqb site, I used to play there years ago. It's spread across multiple floors including a small under ground tunnel.

Would definitely recommend a torch and tbh those two g19s with extended mags would do the job nicely, I like to run about and flank/get in peoples faces and pistols are great for that and the kind of play is great for the Stan.

 

[callumbagshaw]

Thanks all, a torch is something I hand't considered so I'll get one ordered right now! 

All comments much appreciated cheers!

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

I'm there on the regular, well I was, and they do allow HPA. 
Never actually heard of anywhere that doesn't. 

Nothing really to heads up you on, though I'd say that having a good pistol is pretty important as they sometimes impose stupid as fuck rules regarding where you can and can't use primaries to try and discourage camping and keep the pace of the games a bit more fluid - supposedly pistols are less effective at holding areas down (which I thoroughly disagree with, but that's a whole other debate) but the fact that not everyone has one, or when it's cold not all of them are particularly effective, means that defending choke points can only be done from a way back instead of right up on the area in question.

They argue that camping staircases with rifles just makes them inaccessible so you're supposed to defend them with pistols to give the attacking team a chance, but I'm a firm believer in fair fights being for suckers and not only does this flip that around to force you into being on the bad side of an unfair fight, but there isn't even anything you can do to try and rebalance it, since backing off to use your rifle is the only real option but that just gives them space to get out of the choke point and assert themselves.

Last time I was there they also limited the entire outside area to pistols only, because with rifles you would've been able to stand outside and lock all the exits down to stop anyone from flanking - apparently. But given how cold it was it just meant no one could flank anyone because you couldn't shoot anyone outside... Honestly it was shit and I've not bothered going back since. 

The site was more enjoyable under Op Tac's management in my opinion, I love the Skirmish lot to bits but now they're running it all by the books with Sheffield City Council's Health and Safety board giving the go ahead on everything it's kinda just spiralled into the gutter.

That said, no one else seems to have the same issues I do as they still have it fully booked for every event, so I'd say try it and see what you think. It's a cool site, I just think that if you experienced it before the management change over, you'll feel like there's too much limitation on where you can go and what you can do. 

That blacked out tunnel mentioned above for example, that's out of bounds now, most of the more indirect flanking paths are closed, and the entire bottom corner of the factory which used to be a total black out zone has now been completely walled off. 

 

[simonh]

I play at the stan quite often and tbh really like it. You WILL need a torch as a lot of it is quite dark. be prepared to climb a lot of stairs which can be murder on the legs.

 

[Albiscuit]

Thanks all, a torch is something I hand't considered so I'll get one ordered right now! 

All comments much appreciated cheers!

Click to shrink...

Just goto poundland and chuck a couple of bright LED ones in your bag and make sure one is in your pocket for the game.

Torches on weapons are more of a hindrance to yourself as you become a walking target and to others on your team as you blind them/light them up for the enemy. I have one for looking for mags I drop or for checking out where im stepping or for shining through doors when dead so not to get lit up.

 

[Albiscuit]

I'm there on the regular, well I was, and they do allow HPA. 
Never actually heard of anywhere that doesn't. 

Nothing really to heads up you on, though I'd say that having a good pistol is pretty important as they sometimes impose stupid as f*ck rules regarding where you can and can't use primaries to try and discourage camping and keep the pace of the games a bit more fluid - supposedly pistols are less effective at holding areas down (which I thoroughly disagree with, but that's a whole other debate) but the fact that not everyone has one, or when it's cold not all of them are particularly effective, means that defending choke points can only be done from a way back instead of right up on the area in question.

They argue that camping staircases with rifles just makes them inaccessible so you're supposed to defend them with pistols to give the attacking team a chance, but I'm a firm believer in fair fights being for suckers and not only does this flip that around to force you into being on the bad side of an unfair fight, but there isn't even anything you can do to try and rebalance it, since backing off to use your rifle is the only real option but that just gives them space to get out of the choke point and assert themselves.

Last time I was there they also limited the entire outside area to pistols only, because with rifles you would've been able to stand outside and lock all the exits down to stop anyone from flanking - apparently. But given how cold it was it just meant no one could flank anyone because you couldn't shoot anyone outside... Honestly it was sh*t and I've not bothered going back since. 

The site was more enjoyable under Op Tac's management in my opinion, I love the Skirmish lot to bits but now they're running it all by the books with Sheffield City Council's Health and Safety board giving the go ahead on everything it's kinda just spiralled into the gutter.

That said, no one else seems to have the same issues I do as they still have it fully booked for every event, so I'd say try it and see what you think. It's a cool site, I just think that if you experienced it before the management change over, you'll feel like there's too much limitation on where you can go and what you can do. 

That blacked out tunnel mentioned above for example, that's out of bounds now, most of the more indirect flanking paths are closed, and the entire bottom corner of the factory which used to be a total black out zone has now been completely walled off. 

Click to shrink...

Sounds like a shame, I would love to play there just too far from me. 

Like you I dont really get the pistols comments though, I can hold off a tight corridor better with my pistols than most people with rifles  

And the holding doorways with rifles thing again is a little silly, making it semi only makes more sense. A strong group of people rushing out of the door is the easiest solution but then I am more than happy to be the meat shield for my team in these situations (as long as the rest of the buggers follow me out, fed up of turning around and being the only tw*t in the open)

 

[callumbagshaw]

Just goto poundland and chuck a couple of bright LED ones in your bag and make sure one is in your pocket for the game.

Torches on weapons are more of a hindrance to yourself as you become a walking target and to others on your team as you blind them/light them up for the enemy. I have one for looking for mags I drop or for checking out where im stepping or for shining through doors when dead so not to get lit up.

Click to shrink...

Great idea, will do that!

 

[callumbagshaw]

I'm there on the regular, well I was, and they do allow HPA. 
Never actually heard of anywhere that doesn't. 

Nothing really to heads up you on, though I'd say that having a good pistol is pretty important as they sometimes impose stupid as f*ck rules regarding where you can and can't use primaries to try and discourage camping and keep the pace of the games a bit more fluid - supposedly pistols are less effective at holding areas down (which I thoroughly disagree with, but that's a whole other debate) but the fact that not everyone has one, or when it's cold not all of them are particularly effective, means that defending choke points can only be done from a way back instead of right up on the area in question.

They argue that camping staircases with rifles just makes them inaccessible so you're supposed to defend them with pistols to give the attacking team a chance, but I'm a firm believer in fair fights being for suckers and not only does this flip that around to force you into being on the bad side of an unfair fight, but there isn't even anything you can do to try and rebalance it, since backing off to use your rifle is the only real option but that just gives them space to get out of the choke point and assert themselves.

Last time I was there they also limited the entire outside area to pistols only, because with rifles you would've been able to stand outside and lock all the exits down to stop anyone from flanking - apparently. But given how cold it was it just meant no one could flank anyone because you couldn't shoot anyone outside... Honestly it was sh*t and I've not bothered going back since. 

The site was more enjoyable under Op Tac's management in my opinion, I love the Skirmish lot to bits but now they're running it all by the books with Sheffield City Council's Health and Safety board giving the go ahead on everything it's kinda just spiralled into the gutter.

That said, no one else seems to have the same issues I do as they still have it fully booked for every event, so I'd say try it and see what you think. It's a cool site, I just think that if you experienced it before the management change over, you'll feel like there's too much limitation on where you can go and what you can do. 

That blacked out tunnel mentioned above for example, that's out of bounds now, most of the more indirect flanking paths are closed, and the entire bottom corner of the factory which used to be a total black out zone has now been completely walled off. 

Click to shrink...

I've played paintball at Skirmish's original site near Notts, they are pretty tight on the health and safety but given that they're growing at a rapid rate and becoming a leader in site owners (particularly in the north), it's completely understandable that they have to be very careful.

As for the rifle/pistol thing that just makes no sense to me, but then again I've been known to take dual pistols out in woodland vs snipers etc. so that doesn't bother me, looking forward to a full pistol day actually (with the P90 and Krytac ready and waiting for me to run out of HPA!) 

 

[Albiscuit]

Pistols can be an effective primary in the right hands and oh so much fun to play with  

 

[Sacarathe]

I'm there on the regular, well I was, and they do allow HPA. 
Never actually heard of anywhere that doesn't. 
<snip>

Click to shrink...

The sites run by fire support don't allow HPA. I asked last time I was at the fire support shop, the guy basically admitted the rule was irrational and the justification for it out of touch with reality (fear of temperature related fluctuations through the day) - I asked why not just set a lower Joule limit for HPA and he said banning was easier.

 

[callumbagshaw]

The sites run by fire support don't allow HPA. I asked last time I was at the fire support shop, the guy basically admitted the rule was irrational and the justification for it out of touch with reality (fear of temperature related fluctuations through the day) - I asked why not just set a lower Joule limit for HPA and he said banning was easier.

Click to shrink...

Wow!

Just to be clear here... Fire support != Skirmish right?

Edit - sorry, spent too long writing bloody code today. Fire support and Skirmish are different companies right? xD

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

Wow!

Just to be clear here... Fire support != Skirmish right?

Edit - sorry, spent too long writing bloody code today. Fire support and Skirmish are different companies right? xD

Click to shrink...

Yes, very different.
Firesupport is a shop and one of the main UKARA retailers, they helped develop UKARA as a system. They also run two sites, that I know of; Free Fire Zone and Urban Assault.

Skirmish Airsoft is a company based out of their woodland site near Mansfield, but they also have The Stan, and Wentworth CQB - though Wentworth is closing soon. 
They have an online shop that I forget the name of, and the sites all have onsite shops, but on top of that they're also rapidly expanding and the business' owners both also have hands in Zombie Infection which is obviously an events company, they've recently bought out Ops7 too which is a veerrrrryyyy small airsoft shop in Sheffield.
I'd be surprised if they don't end up with more site locations and a bigger shop before long, they acquired The Stan and Wentworth within a pretty small time frame and once Wentworth closes they'll be looking for somewhere else to put their small army of marshalling staff.

Lastly, Skirmish Airsoft as a company name is a bit ambiguous since there's also Skirmish Airsoft Billericay and I think a few other similarly named places, but they're not related.

 

[callumbagshaw]

Well, for the future reference of anyone who may be interested - Played the Stan yesterday and it was BRILLIANT!

Incredibly well ran, very well marshaled (I.E - watching for hit taking, telling people when a pyro has hit them etc.)

Will definitely be going again really enjoyed the day.

Thanks all again for the advice & info.