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Post #1
Hey FP Airsoft.
I have noticed a decent amount of Airsofters here are also reenactors of some form. Which is great. I have often thought on making a reenactor thread somewhere on FP but could not honestly think of an appropriate location for it. But, being that several of us double was reenactors...I figure. Why not here? Bam. Done.
So, some information for those of you who do not know about reenacting.
Reenacting in a hobby that educates on and promotes the learning of history. It provides not only those who may see a reenactment, but also the reenactors themselves, a hands on look at history. It can be interesting, educative, entertaining, and something that can be very appreciated.
Reenacting ranges a broad range of subjects. From the Ancient Romans to Medieval Europe. To the Revolutionary War and Civil War. Both World Wars, Vietnam, and all conflicts in between. Reenacting hosts a very large stream of subjects that can be observed and interacted with on a personal hands on level. When you step into a reenactor's encampment...you step back in time.
So, why do people reenact? Many reasons. Some just have an addiction to the time periods or to history, others love to educate other people, some do it in honor of family members who were in the conflict - and sometimes the reenactors themselves were actually a part of the conflict! But the main basis especially is to honor those who sacrificed everything for their cause. Or, simply. It's just cool.
There are typically two types of reenactments. One and the most seen by the public (Duh.) Are public events. These events are typically geared fully towards the time period or conflict or sometimes can be seen at large events, festivals, airshows, museum displays, etc. These provide the public a hands on and 'with their own eyes' look at history. Reenactors interact with the public and walk them through their encampments, displays, and discuss with them the time period, the life, and the gear of the forces they represent.
The other less seen side of reenacting are tacticals. Think of it as playing soldier, LARPing if you dare say, in a large stretch of land with guns and blanks. These range from a large variety of conflicts and are typically competetive with objectives. It's the MIL-SIM of reenacting. They are a great place to practice tactics, learn new strategies, and actually improve your image at public events while having a fun time.
"But how do you know if you get shot?" Is the biggest question asked of reenactors.
During public events the battles are, 90% of the time, scripted. It's not a basis of "Okay you run thirty steps, stop, shoot three times and die." It is typically planned on a larged and loose scale. Something along the lines of "Okay, the Germans will hold their positions until the P-51s start coming in. Then they will start pulling back taking casualties. Eventually they will be cut off and over run resulting in the death or capture of all forces." Typically the rule of thumb is even during public events, if you clearly would have been shot then it is the honorable, realistic, and good show to take that hit.
Tactical events are different. You are expected to be honorable and hold some integrity. If you would have been toast in real life then take the hit. There are usually referees and officials who keep an eye out and enforce hits.
For reenacting there are usually units, groups, etc and are all placed under what is called a 'parent organization' that is typically some historical society or other historical based org.
I'll add more content as things go along. :)
As for me. I have been a reenactor for a few years. This will be my third year reenacting. I reenact a standard footsoldier in the 2nd Panzer 38th Pionier Battalion. I have several parts of my 'kit' that I swap out for. I can be a standard rifeman, or the engineer setup, and even a tank buster with a panzerfaust. We have a panzershrek, MG42s, 34s, MP40s, STG44s, mortars, mines and even a replica of the German 222 and some motorcycles and Kubels. We have quite the range of equipment.
Some of my favorite events include Thunder Over Michigan, Tidioute Bridge at Remagen, Conneaut's D-Day, and several tactical events.
I'll post up some pictures of me soon, along with some of our unit in action.
So, for now, I encourage others to add content...discuss...whatever.
Is anyone planning on attending Atterbury this weekend?
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Don't forget the four lettered work of fun.
As for me I do US rifleman and medic, maybe MP in the coming while. Still saving up for the Garand and hopefully a m7 grenade adapter. And this upcoming 4th of July will mark my second year reenacting.
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I would reenact WWII Japs for the sake of reenactment but the gear is hard as fuck to find as well as it not being as popular as US, Brits, Third Reich, and Soviets
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I'd love to reenact WWII Soviets.
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Someday I'll get around to finishing my Armored Reconnaissance loadout
It's too bad all the reenactment communities around here are ultra stitch-nazis about gear and shit, and generally overweight douchbags who are ironically covered in farb gear.
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It's starting to grow, since with the help of The Pacific.
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The Pacific was a depressing show though, it didn't feel as interesting as Band of Brothers and the main characters get more and more pissed and angry as the show goes on
UGHH FIGHTING IN THE DARK
SUICIDAL AZNS
SLEEPING IN SHIT AND RAIN
STUCK IN A JUNGLE
CHARLIES IN THE TREES
AMBUSHES AND TRAPS ERRDAY
wait a minute, sounds like 'Nam
Edited:
That reminds me, I saw a Japanese dubbed The Pacific and it was pretty fucking hilarious because it was hard to distinguish who was the Americans and who was the Japanese and the entire thing was surreal
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I want to reenact Chinese Nationalist Army because it's basically Whermact gear and super fucking cool.
Edited:
also, I get to shoot at kill
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and watch as he rapes my girlfriend
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and beheads my parents
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Can I come too? I'm sure there are enough war crimes to go around.I want to reenact Chinese Nationalist Army because it's basically Whermact gear and super fucking cool.
Edited:
also, I get to shoot at kill
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and watch as he rapes my girlfriend
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and beheads my parents
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if you're jewish, homosexual, gypsy, or roman catholic...
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fuck yeah! war crimes!I want to reenact Chinese Nationalist Army because it's basically Whermact gear and super fucking cool.
Edited:
also, I get to shoot at kill
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and watch as he rapes my girlfriend
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and beheads my parents
and plus I'll use shitty armored vehicles and manly not-so-bulletproof spirit to vanquish my foes
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except taiwanese aborigines can beat you in combat too C:
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not unless we keep spamming origami tanks in urban combat!!!1!11!1!
Edited:
and you don't use shermans!!!1
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I would love to get into reenacting but I don't know of any communities where I live...
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Getting ready to head out to the Atterbury tactical. I will be running my Countour helmet cam so I will try to get some good footage. :)
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Fuck, I would been going however, I wasn't able to get just this day off. What sucks is I doubt their doing the tactical again any time soon...
HK, tell me how it went when you get back.
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Got back from Camp Atterbury last night.
Battle was called around 4PM due to the weather. Which was a bummer...anyways.
We arrived at Camp Atterbury around 8PM Friday. Loaded up and stayed at their FOB on base. Kind of a neat but surreal experience staying there. One of our guys served tours over seas in the Marine Corp and could not help but to think he was back overseas a couple of times due to the layout of the FOB. The only thing I was no fan of was the fact these were FEMA trailers...whatever. ;)
Airborne units and some of the Waffen SS moved out in the middle of the night to do their thing. We opted to stay and sleep.
We woke up to the sound of thunder and rain, which would last us the entire day. Geared up, safety checked, and then we boarded a 5 ton and were transported a couple of miles to our deployment area. At the same time we deployed the 3 Stuart tanks there deployed onto the field also. We were deployed into one of the villages / towns and immediately pushed towards the allies. We moved up with a captured Bren carrier and camp upon a crossroads where we ran right into the Stuarts. Bren gun carrier got knocked out so we mined the road and prepared an ambush.
We ended up taking out a couple of jeeps with our MP40s and waited for the Stuart tanks. They pushed up but had loads of infantry support. I did not get a shot on the Stuarts due to it. Numerous elements of the Polish forces pushed into the woods. I ended up taking out three of them in an ambush with my Kar98 but one had his back to me and would not take his hits. I ran out of shots and pulled back to reload, but when I broke free from my hiding spot I was ambush by GIs.
The Stuarts pushed up and blew up our mines. But due to our ambush and the time it took to remove the mines we delayed them heavily. Buying time for our Tiger tank to finally link up with us.
Here is where some of the negative things happened. The Polish unit that was there were not honest players at all. Our unit wiped them out completely, and instead of going back to their regen or what ever they had set up - they simply stood around for a minute...put their helmets back on and joined back into the fighting. They were also horrible at taking hits but were quick to almost get in a fight with you if they shot you and you did not take your hit in a timely manner. Bunch of idiots.
Anyways.
We pulled back to regen and set up another ambush along the road. Our Tiger tank came into the battle and took out one of the Stuarts (Which oddly took 4 hits from the Tiger's 88mm......come on.) The Tiger linked up with us and a Half-Track full of Waffen SS joined in. The Waffen SS commander told us they were going on the offensive and we were welcome to join them - so we did. Using the Tiger as cover we pushed up before charging across a field and hitting headlong into...ah yes. The Polish. Who seemed invincible to point blank Kar98 hits. One of the Stuarts pushed forward and did not realize the Tiger was there, so he got wedged by a building in hiding. Now was my time to shine, so I ran with my Panzerfaust to a firing position however someone else had a firing faust and took it out right before I could shoot. Damn.
Then something happened - not sure what, but ceasefire was called and the fighting stopped. They broke up the forces and had both sides pull back. My guess was due to the proximity of everyone or something... or the fact the Polish unit kept getting in huge heated arguments with everyone.
Our unit pulled back to the town where we ate our lunch and rested. While there we got to hear the guns of an A10 flying and shooting at a firing range a couple miles to our south. Which was freaking amazing. Most intimidating sound I have ever heard.
The battle started again and we pushed forward. Engaging some infantry before pulling back towards the town. We then found a path through the woods and could hear one of the Stuarts firing through it. So we rushed through with a couple Waffen SS guys. We ran upon a jeep that seemed to be able to take full auto bursts from an MP40 and STG-44. After a brief 'discussion' with them we finally got them to acknowledge they were toast and take a hit. I moved up with one of our guys who had an MP40 to cover me. We came upon the Stuart which oddly had no infantry. Thinking it was a trap we were very cautious until it started moving forward and no infantry were in sight. I chased the Stuart until I got close enough to hit it without any chance of missing. I crouched down and fired my Faust, the round hitting the space between the engine block and turret right behind the commander. An umpire observed this and ran up to the tank to inform him he was toast. Much to the shock of the commander. ;)
Wiped out the Stuart and saved the town from being over run, as the Waffen SS unit there had no way to combat the Stuart.
We linked back up and a storm moved in, so we ended up taking cover when finally they called the event due to all the nasty weather nearby. Once the storm passed we made plans to try to get back to the FOB. We ended up running into the Tiger tank which let us ride on top of it back to base. Nice!
I did not run my helmet cam due to the weather, sadly.
Overall it was a great event. Just too bad it was cut so short.
Pictures. I do have some video I recorded on my phone of little stuff but nothing special. Will compile a video later.
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What sort of guns do you use? Are you using live weapons loaded with blanks, or like cap-guns?
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sweet looking Tiger and Panzer III lol. Tiger's a replica, but is the Panzer one? It looks almost original.
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I see PGW had the tiger, the panzer 3 I believe is real. I would of killed to go... As for the Polish were they the Polish under the British? If then, yeah they don't take hits too well.
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Because we are fucking invincible. Come on, our country was wiped off the europe's maps and we still managed.
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A vast majority of them are live weapons with blanks.
There are a few that are blank fire only.
Here is a short video clip of some of the stuff going on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxCqXkOWIfA
Recorded from my phone, so, sorry for the sucky ass quality.
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based on the tracks and wheel configuration, I'm guessing it's a T-34
same thing they used to mock up the "Tiger" in Saving Private Ryan
Edited:
I meant the fake tiger
shits waaay too small to be a Tiger too
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It is on a t34 base, and if i recall it is one of the two from SPR.
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Anyone planning on going to the D-Day Ohio or Bridge Over Remagen reenactments this summer?
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Weird question, does race matter? Always wanted to get a non-US loadout for reenactments which are common in my area, but i'm half pakistani. Wondering if people would care or notice.
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They shouldn't, and if they did then their dicks. Most groups will allow anyone with different ethnic backgrounds. IF your looking at Germans, later in the war, they had just about any ethnic divisions. Like the frees arabian division.
Anyways, found out a kid in my unit took a k98 butt right to the kisser in an unscripted rustle.
Agree x 1
Funny x 2
Zing x 1
Optimistic x 1
Friendly x 1
Winner x 10
Disagree x 3