OP: East Wind: Anyone Going?

Too young but when i'm 18 I plan on going .

Here's a few pics and vids from past events to give you an idea what we do out at East Wind:



Here a US Army soldier pulls security as the FV-701 Ferret that escorted his transport truck up to his drop off point heads back home. There is a lot more to dealing with armor and transports than one might be inclined to think.



Here a US Squad leader makes a radio call on a PRC-77 radio. We use period correct comms equipment at East Wind (provided by us). If you've never used a "real" radio, prepare to be amazed at all you can do with one of these.

This link takes you to a vid of Soviet troops using their R-159 radio to call their allies the East Germans after a successful assault to take a town. Notice how the guy has a hard time with the map? That's because the maps are not garden variety generic maps, they are exact replicas of the proper Soviet pattern maps and are different than the US maps he worked with in his US Army service.


Members of 7th Company, 5th Independent Recon Battalion, 27th Motor Rifles Division, along with a section of National Volks Armee Chemical Troops move out in a convoy, consisting of a GAZ-69, BTR-40, and UAZ-469 to drop several recon squads off along the East German Border at Operation: East Wind IV. The sections will conduct an over-watch and patrol of the border, on the look out for NATO forces. None of these vehicles are common, all are as cool as the other side of the pillow. You might find one in a museum if you are lucky, here you get to ride one into combat.


Here US troops are fed via Mermite can while deployed forward. The Squad you see here is out on a 36 hour patrol along a section of the border as the war transitioned from cold to hot. They managed themselves very well with the limited ammo and supplies they had on hand.



A NATO supply convoy traveling along "MSR Steele" at East Wind II. This was a route cut through the forest across a rocky valley that linked the main NATO controlled area with the northern end of the playing field. NATO trucks ran this very tough route both during the daylight hours and at night under black out conditions using night vision.


An NVA patrol, just returned from a cross border mission, is debriefed by the Soviet HQ staff. Notice the wierd blue interior of the tent? That's actually a period correct Soviet tent they are in. The map they are pointing at is a near perfect replica Soviet style map of the AO they are working in.


A Soviet patrol prepares to move out on a night recon mission. East Wind runs 24 hours a day.


A Soviet soldier looks out into the failing light of the day from the ruined building his section holds. He fought hard for the town he's in right now and he's got a long night ahead of him making sure he keeps it. He know's NATO will come tonight, he know's there will be blood sweat and tears before the night is through, it's just a matter of when. When the next dawn broke over an even more battle scarred town this soldier was one of a pitiful few live Soviet troops that pulled out of town. They had held the line.


A NATO patrol prepares to move out on a night ambush mission. They have checked out night vision units from supply (everybody, on both sides gets, gets to use night vision a LOT at East Wind) and have painted their faces so they will shine less in the moon light. East Wind runs 24 hours a day, we are not kidding.


A West German Jager light infantryman prepares to step off at an East Wind training event. He's carrying not only his ruck with the gear to sustain him for the next 24 hours at this winter event but also a SEM-52a radio (slung across his chest) and a Zeiss Orion 80-1 night vision unit (slung below the radio).


A NATO attendee heads into the MKT (Mobile Kitchen Trailer) to get lunch. Both sides use period correct military field kitchen set ups to provide A-ration meals to troops so you are not stuck eating MREs the whole time.


East German NVA troops enjoy a hot A-ration meal in their mess hall. Here's another vid of a Soviet section going through the chow line


An NVA (National Volks Army) patrol moves out on a snowy muddy morning during East Wind 3. This was just the start for the days weather, by the end of the day there was an additional 4 inches of the white stuff on the ground. They are cold, they are muddy, they are tired, but they are prepared. We stay tactical 24/7 regardless of weather. When you look at our PCI lists and wonder why we require so many things, this picture shows why...


Here a US soldier (who's real world job is an Army Combat Engineer) demines an area infested with the notorious POMZ-2M stick mines. He's digging down next to the stick since it's a common trick to booby trap the stake so that the guy pulling the mine gets a nasty surprise.


Excited for the new A&K PKM? So's this East German soldat. We've had PKMs for a while that are custom made.



A US soldier takes a moment to shave during his comms watch in the US HQ. You’re out there for 9 days… That means eating, sleeping, pooping, washing and shaving in a combat environment.


Ever been out on a night so dark you needed to use generation 3 night vision to stir your coffee? Well ok, he probably didn't NEED to use NODs, but what the hell, why not.


Who says you won’t hear a phone ring for 9 days? Both sides employ field telephone systems at East Wind. This is the NATO SB-22 switchboard in the operations center. It allows calls to be patched through from one caller to another anywhere across the phone network. It also allows a radio call to be patched through to any of the telephones in the network. Basically every tent in the base camps has a telephone and most any of the commonly manned forward outposts is equipped with a phone as well.


A Soviet made BTR-152 armored personnel carrier. This is one big bad mother… Again, if you got lucky at a museum, you might be able to touch one. At East Wind, you’ll ride into battle in one or face off against one with your LAW-80 anti tank rocket.


A British FV-432 Trojan APC. When we say our British troops are Armored infantry, we are not kidding. There were two of these at East Wind IV, they will be there for East Wind V as well. Here's a short vid of an FV-432 heading out to drop a load of troops off

Another interesting video. A Soviet section leader explains the battle he just participated in. He's speaking Russian because he is Russian.


A Hunter SHL (Space Heater Large) puttering away heating the NATO supply tent at East Wind III. When the wind is howling and the snow is flying, it is nice to have a place to go warm up and dry off. Both sides have most of their large common area tents heated with period correct wood stoves or oil fired heaters such as the SHL here. If you have never walked into a heated tent after a long, cold, wet patrol and stood by one of these guys to warm up then you have never felt what “warm” really is. It is amazing.


A NATO officer typing up a AAR on a period correct SAIC V2LC computer. He looks frustrated because he is. We strive to get as much right as is humanly possible and the V2 here is a perfect example. It’s silly, it’s hard to use, it cheeps every time you hit a key but it’s the right system for the time and everyone loves it. East Wind is about so much more than just airsofting. It’s an opportunity for everyone to participate in something that collectively is bigger than anything they themselves can create. Whether you are bringing the minimum required gear for the event, are bringing a military truck, or happen to restore something like the V2LC here, it’s all a piece of the puzzle that makes East Wind the event that it is. When you form the environment around you as much as we do here at East Wind, it really makes an event that you feel you are a part of. East Wind creates memories that you will not forget.

I hope that some of you will make the trip out to be part of it.

Those pictures are awesome, but I don't have the correct dated gear to play.

Good points Eagle Driver.

I can expand on them a bit.

M16A4 is allowed only if configured to look just like an A2. A2 production is spotty with airsoft companies sometimes so we sqeak in the A3s and A4s as reasonable stand ins. Visually, they only look ever so slightly different since you can see the knobs that hold on the carry handles.

G36 is CURRENTLY allowed mostly because the deal proper kit (ODs and older style harnesses) are pretty tough to get and we're trying to strike a balance that allows West German to be an affordable option. Most likely by next year, we'll tighten it up to just the G3. G36s are not really as easily supported in the field anyhow. (all of our nods mount to the G3). As time wears on, we'll likely drift the Germans slowly towards the dead proper gear but it will take a bit to do so.

Regarding the FAL. I grew up in Rhodesia so I am an absolute brat about the FN FAL rifle. Perhaps it's nitpicky but subbing the FAL for the L1A1 would drive me nuts. In all reality, as soon as I manage to come up with some mounts for the NVGs to go on the SA-80 series rifles, we'll probably be dropping the L1A1 from the list anyhow.

GLCM Ranger impression? Nah, what you want is a Berlin Brigade Radio Relay Company impression! We don't really do "special forces" stuff at all here at East Wind. We're portraying line units who are just trying to pull their load in a bad position.

You are entirely correct that a good part of the fun is just getting the right stuff. You should see how happy some of the guys get when they find something piddly like the correct British coffee mug or the right stupid scratchy American towel. You've probably got a basement full of the right stuff if you were in during that era, perhaps we'll see you out there sometime.

This looks like an amazing experience, so I have to ask; is it the same thing every year? Does it have the same or similar requirements and theme (East Bloc vs. NATO) from year to year?

EDIT: And are there any similar events here in MI?

I've never been to this, but I am deffinalty going to start putting money into preparing for the soviet side for 2013. As long as i don't have to speak Russian though.

From talking with Aswayze, the event host, they usually have around 90 people playing throughout the week. That's including both day players and the continuous play types. I'm sure he'll be along shortly to correct or clarify what I just said.

This is what he wrote to me back when I asked a similar question about total numbers:



Again, I will be attending this event and would happily carpool with someone if anyone else is planning to go.